30 November 2017

Dear Pratt in Venice alumni/ae,

I am writing to ask your support of our Pratt in Venice Scholarship Fund, ideally before December 31, as donations are tax deductible at present!

As tuition rates increase, it is especially challenging for many extremely well qualified applicants to Pratt in Venice to afford the program. I am speaking of students in art history, fine arts, preservation and design who are serious about wishing to participate.

As students ask me about Pratt in Venice 2018, many of their questions center on cost and the availability of substantial scholarship help. In past years, through your generosity, we have been able to give $2000 or even $3000 to outstanding scholarship applicants. Such students have been highly committed productive participants on site. We need to be even more generous in the coming year.

To bring you up to date: 2017 was a very successful year with an excellent mix of graduate and undergraduate students. It proved a highly compatible group as well. Mario Naves and Grayson Cox organized an engaging Biennale visit in which students presented information about lead artists at selected pavilions. For the upcoming architectural Biennale, alumna Margaret Matz is coordinating an ambitious project that combines historical reconstruction and new installation in the surviving spaces of two ancient scuole. Among her several collaborators are current Pratt students and other Pratt in Venice alumni. Art historical events included Joe Kopta’s Ravenna visit, the ever wonderful villas-and-Bassano day, our Peggy Guggenheim visit led by Andrew Kurczak, and new revelations from conservators at San Sebastiano (the only ones not reported in my book that came out this year!).

Do take a look at prattinvenice.com for more details and pictures contributed by all, both on site and at the exhibition.

I look forward to hearing from you very soon. We need to embrace the good things in life.

A presto,

Diana Gisolfi
Director of Pratt in Venice
Professor of Art History