This August, the historic gardens of Palazzo Previtera in Linguaglossa, on the northern slopes of Mount Etna will be transformed into an open-air cinema for Contemporary Video Art in the Gardens, an evocative programme curated by SARP, a gallery and leading centre for contemporary art in Sicily.
Set against the backdrop of Mount Etna and eastern Sicily’s changing light, the series invites Palazzo Previtera guests and visitors to experience video art beneath the stars.
Held every Saturday evening in August at 9pm, the screenings unfold within the Palazzo’s ‘secret’ garden – a quiet oasis framed by Mediterranean planting, lava stone walls, and views toward Etna’s northern slopes. The historic courtyard becomes a space for cultural discussion, where contemporary works explore the evolving landscape of eastern Sicily, focusing on Mount Etna, the Alcantara River and the garden of Palazzo Previtera.
Following each screening, guests are invited to join a discussion, before gathering in the contemporary bar of Previtera Kitchen, where cocktails such as a signature Sambuca, using wild sambuca flowers foraged on Etna, and local wines are served with charcuterie boards in a relaxed, design-led setting that blends historic architecture with modern Sicilian hospitality.
2026 Screening Highlights:
- 1 August 2026 – Terra Etna (2025) by Leo Orta, documentary by Lorenzo Arrigoni
- 8 August 2026 – Bones and Smoky Stones (2019) by Kevin A. Rausch
- 22 August 2026 – Earthborn (2025) by Santiago Alvarez and Luis Sanabria
Admission is complimentary with a reservation via reception@palazzoprevitera.com
Summer 2026 Artist Residencies
Beyond the August screenings, summer 2026 offers guests at Palazzo Previtera the opportunity to meet artists in residence, inspired by the Etna landscape.
Guests staying at the palazzo can experience a slower, more intimate form of cultural stay – observing artists at work in the nearby studio, once an old hazelnut barn; attending exhibition openings in the SARP gallery located in the palazzo’s cellars; or even sharing conversations with the artists over breakfast in the garden. This merging of hospitality, landscape and contemporary art offers guests an alternative to the traditional cultural tourism in Sicily.
July 2026: Silvia Giordani
Venice-based painter Silvia Giordani (Residency: 1-30 July 2026) explores landscape as ambiguity and emotional terrain. Her atmospheric oil and acrylic canvases construct imagined environments suspended between the natural and the synthetic.
Her exhibition opens 31 July 2026 at SARP in Linguaglossa and runs through 10 September 2026.
July–August 2026: Mathias Malling Mortensen
Danish artist Mathias Malling Mortensen (Residency: 20 July – 30 August 2026) brings his distinctive papercut and layered compositions to Etna North. His sculptural “cut-out” works investigate light, botanical forms, and architectural detail, creating intricate plays of shadow and negative space.
Long-Term Residency: Daniel Jacoby
Peruvian visual artist and filmmaker Daniel Jacoby(Residency: April – September 2026) develops new work during his extended stay in Sicily. Known for award-winning films screened at major international institutions and festivals, Jacoby’s practice explores belonging, spirituality, and human connection through poetic abstraction. A solo exhibition is planned for July 2027.
About Palazzo Previtera
Located in the historic centre of Linguaglossa on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, Palazzo Previtera is a restored noble residence now operating as a boutique hotel and restaurant. Opened in 2023 after a 10-year restoration by Alfio Puglisi, a descendant of the family that built the Palazzo in 1649, it sleeps a total of 21 people in six double rooms and two cottages. There are also museum rooms that preserve over 500 years of Sicilian history and the SARP contemporary art gallery in the cellars.