The 4th edition of "Fabriano tra storia e innovazione" Concludes Successfully!
The 4th edition of “Fabriano tra storia e innovazione” has come to a highly successful conclusion, bringing together scholars, conservators, restorers, and professionals from across the sector for three intensive days of study and discussion, held from 14 to 16 October 2026.
The programme comprised one conference day and two days of advanced training workshops dedicated to the theme of paper deacidification, a topic of great relevance and urgency for the preservation of cultural heritage.
The conference, entitled “Paper Deacidification Today. Perspectives and Challenges of a Complex Conservation Treatment”, opened with a keynote lecture by Antje Potthast, Associate Professor at the University of Vienna, followed by contributions from speakers representing some of Italy’s leading institutions in conservation, scientific research, and cultural heritage preservation, including Istituto Centrale per la Patologia degli Archivi e del Libro (ICPAL), Istituto Centrale per il Restauro (ICR), the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, and the National Central Libraries of Florence and Rome.
The conference programme, developed in response to the need for an up-to-date overview of the current state of paper deacidification methodologies, was designed with the valuable contribution of a scientific committee composed of leading specialists in conservation and restoration: Marco Di Bella, Rodorico Giorgi, Antonio Mirabile, Giovanna Poggi, Alessandro Sidoti, and Stefania Zeppieri. Their expertise ensured an interdisciplinary approach and the highest scientific standards throughout the event.
On 15 and 16 October, the advanced training workshop “Deacidification of Paper-Based Materials. Methodologies, Materials and Operational Practices between Tradition and Innovation” took place under the guidance of Silvia Sotgiu, Conservator-Restorer and Head of the Conservation and Restoration Office at the National Central Library of Rome; Margherita Molteni, Conservator at the same institution; and Stefania Zeppieri, specialist conservator of books, archives and works of art on paper, and lecturer at the University of Rome Tor Vergata.
The workshop, aimed at professional conservator-restorers, was held in the Conservation and Restoration Laboratory established at the Foundation’s premises.
The outstanding quality of the presentations and the workshop programme played a key role in the success of the initiative, providing participants with valuable opportunities for learning, professional exchange, and critical reflection. The event offered a rich and stimulating experience, highlighting the wealth of knowledge and expertise surrounding the worlds of paper, conservation, and cultural heritage.
With “Fabriano Between History and Innovation”, the Fondazione Fedrigoni Fabriano reaffirms its commitment to promoting a culture of conservation and supporting the growth of a professional community that is informed, engaged, and open to innovation.
The initiative was organised in collaboration with Fedrigoni S.p.A. and Stefania Zeppieri Conservazione e Restauro, and under the patronage of the Municipality of Fabriano, the Marche Region, the Istituto Centrale per la Patologia degli Archivi e del Libro (ICPAL), Antonio Mirabile Paper Conservator, the Consorzio Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo dei Sistemi a Grande Interfase (CSGI) of Florence, the National Central Library of Florence, the Pia Università dei Cartai, and the Fondazione Carifac.
