Il Cardo Cooperativa Sociale

Il Cardo Cooperativa Sociale is an Italian non-profit social cooperative based in Edolo, in the Alta Valle Camonica area of the province of Brescia, Lombardy. It was constituted in 1988 and describes itself as a "cooperativa sociale ad oggetto plurimo" — a multi-purpose social cooperative — combining the management of socio-health and educational services with work-integration activities. Its stated mission is to make its territorial community open, capable of care and accompaniment, and socially and environmentally aware and responsible. The cooperative operates across a range of fields: care and support for people with disabilities; education and assistance for minors and young people; home-based educational assistance; management of aggregation spaces for children and teenagers; community planning; cultural production and publishing; social agriculture and the recovery of uncultivated land; and the work placement of disadvantaged people. Its activity is characterised by a strong relationship with its reference communities and is carried out in close collaboration with schools, public administrations, volunteer and cultural associations, and the wider cooperative movement. Geographically, Il Cardo's action involves communities from Capo di Ponte across the whole of the Alta Valle Camonica, and its cultural initiatives extend beyond those boundaries. Its cultural programme has included projects such as Terra Alta, a one-year residency at Ca'Mon in Monno funded by Creative Living Lab (2023 edition) under the Ministry of Culture's Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea; Edolo Lido Cambio di stagione, a regeneration project focused on the former prisons in Edolo's historic centre; Fuori Contexto, a self-managed space run alongside the Contexto contemporary art exhibition in summer 2018; Passacultura, created for "Bergamo Brescia Capitale della Cultura 2023"; Invasione Rupestre, a cultural proposal for the 40th anniversary of Italy's first UNESCO site, the Rock Drawings of Valcamonica; and L'Arazzo di Zurla, a cultural project connecting art and community beyond the Valcamonica. The cooperative's community-centred approach attracted academic attention: between 2019 and 2021 it was the subject of a case study titled "Educazione sociale e di comunità" by the University of Milano-Bicocca. Il Cardo publishes a social report (bilancio sociale) within its Amministrazione Trasparente page, which provides updated information on its extended community of members, employees, volunteers and a growing group of authors and illustrators. As a social cooperative without profit motive, it is a private, non-listed entity.

Il Cardo Cooperativa Sociale was constituted in 1988 as a non-profit social cooperative with a multi-purpose object, combining the management of socio-health and educational services with work-integration activities. It is based in Edolo, in the Alta Valle Camonica, in the province of Brescia, Lombardy. From its origins the cooperative has been characterised by a strong relationship with its reference communities, working in close collaboration with schools, public administrations, volunteer and cultural associations, and the wider cooperative world. Its territorial action involves communities from Capo di Ponte across the whole of the Alta Valle Camonica, while its cultural initiatives extend beyond those boundaries. Over the years Il Cardo broadened its activities to include education, care, culture and environment: socio-assistential and socio-health services for people with disabilities; prevention, training and workshops for adults and minors; home-based educational assistance for minors; management of aggregation spaces for children and teenagers; community planning; cultural productions and editorial products; experimental agriculture and the recovery of uncultivated land; and the work placement of disadvantaged people. In the cultural field, the cooperative participated in Contexto 2017, a contemporary art exhibition held in Edolo and curated by Casa Testori. In summer 2018 it organised Fuori Contexto, a self-managed space running parallel to the official exhibition. In 2023 it carried out Terra Alta, a one-year residency of Giacomo Sartori and Elena Tognoli at Ca'Mon, the Community Centre for Art and Craft in Monno, funded by Creative Living Lab (2023 edition), an initiative of the Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea of the Ministry of Culture. For "Bergamo Brescia Capitale della Cultura 2023" it created Passacultura, telling a historical event through innovative languages and bringing culture to the centre of the community. It also developed Invasione Rupestre, a cultural proposal for the 40th anniversary of Italy's first UNESCO site, the Rock Drawings of Valcamonica, and L'Arazzo di Zurla, a cultural project carrying the signs of its history beyond the Valcamonica and creating new connections between art and community. Another project, Edolo Lido Cambio di stagione, began from the idea of regenerating the former prisons in Edolo's historic and now sparsely inhabited street, later expanding to a "neighbourhood" and to involving the people who gravitate to or live in the surrounding streets. Between 2019 and 2021 the cooperative's community-centred approach was the subject of a case study titled "Educazione sociale e di comunità" by the University of Milano-Bicocca, with publication of the research anticipated. Il Cardo publishes a social report within its Amministrazione Trasparente page, providing updated information on its extended community of members, employees, volunteers and a growing group of authors and illustrators.

• 2023

  Terra Alta residency at Ca'Mon in Monno is funded by Creative Living Lab (2023 edition) of the Ministry of Culture.

• 2023

  Passacultura is created for "Bergamo Brescia Capitale della Cultura 2023".

• 2019

  Start of the three-year University of Milano-Bicocca case study "Educazione sociale e di comunità" (2019–2021).

• 2018

  It organises Fuori Contexto, a self-managed space running for the whole summer parallel to the official Contexto exhibition.

• 2017

  The cooperative participates in Contexto 2017, a contemporary art exhibition in Edolo curated by Casa Testori.

• 1988

  Il Cardo Cooperativa Sociale is constituted as a non-profit multi-purpose social cooperative.

A non-profit, community-rooted multi-purpose social cooperative combining social care, education, culture and social agriculture in the Alta Valle Camonica.

• Terra Alta

  One-year residency of Giacomo Sartori and Elena Tognoli at Ca'Mon, Community Centre for Art and Craft in Monno, funded by Creative Living Lab 2023.

• Edolo Lido Cambio di stagione

  Project to regenerate the former prisons in Edolo's historic street, later expanded to a neighbourhood and its inhabitants.

• Fuori Contexto

  Self-managed cultural space run for summer 2018 alongside the official Contexto exhibition.

• Passacultura

  Project for Bergamo Brescia Capitale della Cultura 2023 telling a historical event through innovative languages.

• Invasione Rupestre

  Cultural proposal for the 40th anniversary of Italy's first UNESCO site, the Rock Drawings of Valcamonica.

• L'Arazzo di Zurla

  Cultural project carrying the cooperative's history beyond the Valcamonica and connecting art and community.

1. 1Il Cardo – Cooperativa Sociale (official website)ilcardo.it
2. 2Chi Siamo – Il Cardoilcardo.it
3. 3Il Cardo Cooperativa Sociale – Wikidatawikidata.org