February 19th, 2026 — Last night Civitella Ranieri celebrated the return of the annual alumni party with a gathering of 100+ past and future Fellows, Director’s Guests, friends of Civitella, and staff from Italy and New York City. The evening was marked by the familiar Civitella spirit underscoring that the residency is more than a place; it’s an ethos of care and creativity.
Emcee Pat Oleszko (CRF 2011, DG 2019) opened the evening’s program donning her hat and cape from Civitella’s 25th anniversary celebration at the Castle in 2019. She lead attendees and the staff, sporting repurposed handmade hats fitted for each member, through a recitation of every country represented by Fellows. She referred to Civitella as the “ignited notions of creativity,” and said its MO is to be “inclusive of the arts all over the planet.”
Executive Director Heather Ewing called on attendees to [see remarks + add core message].
Pat returned to the stage to introduce in succession Immanual Wilkins (CRF 2025), Hernan Diaz (CRF 2025), and esperanza spalding. Together, they represented Civitella’s three core disciplines—visual arts, music composition, and writing.
The evening served as a reminder that Civitella is unbound from place and time; where there are Fellows—from the Castle years ago or just this past season—there is the spirit of Civitella, united by creativity, nourished by community and care.
