News
Piazza Perugia -- it's official!
The City of Seattle installed a sign at the entrance of Piazza Perugia this week. The piazza name was "Americanized" but we understand it will be repainted in the future. 
Piazza Perugia and its beautiful Deruta tiles look amazing, even in the rain! Be sure to visit this newest tribute to our sister city friendship. 
Dig Etruscan tomb art? Join us Feb. 27
Much of our knowledge of the pre-Roman Etruscan civilization comes from their tombs. Music, dancing, feasting: All were featured in their funerary art. The famous Sarcophagus of the Spouses, for example, shows a couple sharing a banqueting couch.
Join us for a close-up look at these fascinating ritual objects in "Dining and Dancing: Etruscan Funeral Art" with art historian Rebecca Albiani. The lecture will be held Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
Albiani's lectures are lively and informative, offering a snappy combo of facts and witty observations that delight audiences. For two decades, she has given an immensely popular 10-part lecture series at the Frye Art Museum. She also lectures at the Women's University Club, Vashon Island Arts and the Creative Retirement Institute at Edmonds Community College.
Albiani has a dual major from UC Berkeley and spent her junior year abroad in Venice. She earned a master's in art history at Stanford and entered the doctoral program there. After a fellowship at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., she spent a second year in Venice as a Fulbright scholar.
DATE: Tues., Feb. 27, 2018, 7:30 pm
LOCATION: 1120 8th Avenue, 4th floor, Seattle WA (Street parking is available)
COST: Free to members; $5 for nonmembers.
RVSP: Seating is limited. Let us know if you are coming.
Four members earn scholarships to study in Perugia
Four SPSCA members recently learned they received scholarships to study Italian at the historic Universita per Stranieri in Perugia. Awardees for 2018 are: Jennifer Clancy, Danielle Hayden, Carolyn Law and Cynthia Musto.
Each awardee brings her own talents and interests to Perugia. One recipient is a baker who had studied Italian in Siena in the past. Another is a retired doctor and third-generation Italian who has traveled to other parts of Italy but has never been to Perugia.
The third scholarship recipient is studying Italian at Bellevue College currently and the fourth, a visual artist, is married to an Italian and excited to work on improving her own language skills.
Each recipient receives one month of tuition, plus a stipend to help defray costs, such as apartment rental or travel. Two of the scholarships are funded by long-time sister city supporters: the Hans Lehmann Scholar and the Caffe Umbria Scholar. Thank you to both of our scholarship sponsors for their support!
This year, the committee received more than 20 applications by the Oct. 31 deadline. The top eight were interviewed and our group of four selected. Congratulations to all of them!
Make your new year's resolution early and look into applying for a scholarship for 2019. Find out more here.
Winner of free trip to Perugia announced
If you were in the audience last week at the closing night of "Cinema Italian Style," you were in for a treat. One of our three raffle winners was in the audience and heard her name called. No, it was not the Grand Prize winner, nor the Second Place winner, but the winner of Third Place, who was as enthusiastic as can be.
The Grand Prize winner this year is Judi Y of West Seattle. Congratulations, Judi! She is the proud winner of free round-trip airfare for two to Rome, lodging for two for 7 nights in Perugia, transfers, and a wonderful new addition this year: a four-hour Taste Perugia tour.
Second Prize winner is Alex Y, who won a package of 10 Italian lessons from Percorso Italiano, Seattle's premiere language school. This generous donation is from board member Roberta Tauriello Torgerson. Grazie mille!
Third Prize went to Ann P, who took home a $160 gift certificate for Crown Limousine limos, town cars or other around-town transportation. Thank you, Crown Limo!
Our thanks to all of you who purchased raffle tickets this year. Your support allows us to continue offering scholarships, special events, lectures and other activities both here and in Perugia.
Gov. Jay Inslee visits Perugia
In early November, Gov. Jay Inslee visited Umbria, meeting with President Catiuscia Marini of the Umbria Region, Deputy Mayor Michele Fioroni of Perugia and a host of Italian aerospace business leaders. Inslee signed a memorandum of understanding with President Marini to strengthen collaboration on shared priorities such as aerospace, clean energy, climate change and trade. The photo below shows Inslee and his wife meeting with Deputy Mayor Fioroni.
Those of you who attended the opening of Piazza Perugia in October will remember Fioroni, who was one of the speakers on the official program that day. Following the piazza celebration, sister city board members arranged for Fioroni to meet with many business leaders in Seattle -- from Boeing to Microsoft.
Umbria is home to a robust aerospace cluster and more than 35 companies that are suppliers to Boeing, Mitsubishi and U.S. military aerospace contractors.The aerospace firm, Umbra Cuscinetti, an important Boeing supplier located in Everett, has been a long-standing supporter of the sister city partnership and provided significant support for Piazza Perugia.
Read more about the governor's visit.