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In Udine, the Arte e Libro social cooperative works to promote workplace inclusion and, over time, has expanded its activities to include training, accessible tourism and cooking. Active since 1984, it now involves around a hundred people in various programs and projects. We spoke with Katia Mignogna, President of Arte e Libro.
Arte e Libro was founded in Udine more than forty years ago. How have your activities evolved?
“Arte e Libro is a social cooperative founded in Udine 42 years ago, which works to promote the employment inclusion of people with disabilities. Over time, we have grown and expanded into many other areas that are not limited to employment, but also include life planning: accessible tourism, training and food, through the Divergente Gourmet project.”
How many people do you involve today?
“We were about fifteen workers in the early years; today we are around sixty, many of them people with disabilities. Arte e Libro welcomes around a hundred people in total: about twenty are involved in the kitchen project, and just as many in individualized programs. These are people who have not yet found a job placement and can take part in training and internships to express their talents and abilities.”
The goal, Mignogna explains, is to build a path for everyone that suits their abilities and aspirations. Training activities also include the S.T.I.L.I. project (Independent Work Inclusion Transition Service, run by Arte e Libro ETS in collaboration with the Disability Delegated Services of ASUFC – Central Friuli University Health Authority), which supports people on their journey into employment through personalized programs and the support of tutors.
What role do collaborations with businesses play?
“The opportunities for us also come through collaborations with companies that entrust us with work assignments in completely different fields: from mechanics to digitizing archives, to packaging medical products or cellular network repeaters. They are partners who allow us to build individualized, tailor-made pathways.”
One of Arte e Libro’s defining features is that all work is carried out within the cooperative, in dedicated workshops. This is a deliberate choice that makes it possible to shape work around people’s abilities, rather than asking people to adapt to the work. It also allows the cooperative to offer much more than just a job opportunity. Sharing the same environment creates opportunities to meet, build relationships and grow, even beyond one’s assigned role. Examples include the Friday community lunch, a chance to spend time together and get to know one another better, and the opportunity for participants to rotate between the different workshops, meet new colleagues, try different activities and develop new skills. These are complemented by training courses, educational activities and projects focused on personal independence. It is a model in which work becomes part of a broader life project that values each person’s abilities and aspirations.
Alongside vocational training, Arte e Libro also works in accessible tourism: an activity launched in 2009, which gave rise to Fuorionda, which became an independent association in 2019. The activities include outings, trips and stays designed for people with disabilities and their families and today involve young people and families from across Friuli Venezia Giulia, with some experiences also beginning to attract participants from outside the region.
“A pochi passi,” a gym for independence and everyday life.
The focus on people's quality of life is also reflected in the new “A few steps away” project, dedicated to independent living. Arte e Libro has purchased an apartment near the cooperative's premises, where people with disabilities can learn to manage everyday life through gradual, personalized residential experiences, with support from tutors or educators where needed. A true training ground for independence, where they can develop new skills, become more self-reliant and build their own future.
Divergente Gourmet combines training and cuisine. How did the project come about?
“For us, training also comes through food, surrounded by many wonderful experiences.” In the workshop, participants learn skills related to preparing dishes and working in the kitchen; the group uses produce from the accessible garden “Stili Green”, with its raised beds.
Divergente Gourmet was created with the aim of guiding young people through a training program that can turn into a real job opportunity. Hands-on experience through the food truck and participation in events are an integral part of this journey, giving young people the chance to put what they have learned into practice and interact directly with the public, while taking on the responsibilities involved in catering. This was recently the case in Trieste, during the Barcolana, where we were guests of the Ministry for Disabilities at the Villaggio Italia, on the occasion of the docking of the Amerigo Vespucci sailing ship.
The project also brought the cooperative to Tokyo: on October 27, 2026, Divergente Gourmet took part in an event held at the Italian Embassy to mark 160 years of relations between Italy and Japan, presenting a dish that brought together ingredients and traditions from both countries.
What makes working in Friuli Venezia Giulia special?
“It’s an extraordinary region. We are a small region, and in this case, being small is a good thing: it offers so many opportunities. Our partnerships with the public sector, the regional administration and businesses allow us to provide everyone with a dedicated, individualised and, above all, tailor-made pathway. Recently, we also had the opportunity to talk about this model in Kraków, Poland, during an international seminar promoted by the European Commission and dedicated to employment services, sharing Arte e Libro’s experience with other European organisations. To find one’s own place in the world of work but, I feel I can say, in the world as a whole.”
More information
Discover the association and find all the contact details on the page dedicated to Arte e Libro, and get inspired by their delightful products on the page dedicated to Friuli Venezia Giulia’s “souvenir solidali” (charitable souvenirs).
