The Gliacrobati Collective was founded in 2017 out of the need to bring together a group of psychiatric patients with dual diagnosis (that is, individuals experiencing psychological and psychiatric distress combined with pathological forms of addiction) who come from the care network of the Fermata d’Autobus Onlus association and who have demonstrated clear artistic inclinations and talents. Some of them have specific artistic training, while others have been invited to join the Collective due to their particular predisposition for creative expression. Today, the project also involves people outside the above-mentioned care network—individuals for whom creativity and art serve as valuable tools to face complex moments in life. The Collective meets weekly in the spaces of the Gliacrobati gallery. In the morning, under the coordination of musician and music therapist Claudio De Marco, the group works on producing episodes of the Collettivo Gliacrobati Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/6NWBpmA42RD25mJOQu8mRm?si=a1d41abe1ad042e1), launched in 2024 with the aim of creating a platform to share the content of the gallery’s exhibitions through the perspectives of the Collective’s members themselves. In the afternoon, activities are coordinated by Francesco Sena, artist and art therapist, who supports the group in the development of creative projects, encouraging and fostering the free choice of materials and artistic techniques. The works produced are the result of a process of research and exploration that guides each artist in discovering their own expressive language—identified and developed within a participatory, shared project shaped by the group’s identity.
The Collective occasionally engages in collaborations with external artists to develop specific projects. The creative outcomes of these encounters become part of the gallery’s shop, helping to support the Collective’s activities and ensuring they remain free and accessible to everyone.