FIAT/IFTA » Conference venues

This year’s conference venues pay tribute to Venice’s rich cultural heritage. Thanks to the hospitality and tireless efforts of our host RAI, we’ll be gathering in most exclusive locations. Palazzo Labia, the main venue for the conference, is where all workshops, presentations and the General Assembly will take place. In a change from previous years the Welcome Cocktail will be held at the end of the first day, Wednesday 10th October. For this event we have chosen the Casinò di Venezia while the Gala Dinner and Awards show will be held at the Scuola Grande San Giovanni.

All the venues are situated in the northwestern part of the city, close to the main railway station Santa Lucia and within walking distance of each other, although you might like to enjoy the unique Venetian experience of a short boat ride along the canals.

Palazzo Labia
Casinò di Venezia
Scuola Grande San Giovanni

Palazzo Labia, the main conference venue, is a baroque palace in the Venice city centre built in the 17th and 18th century. Situated within walking distance of the railway station and public transport hub in the west of Venice, it is best known for the lavishly frescoed ballroom painted in 1746–47 by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and decorative works in trompe l'oeil by Gerolamo Mengozzi-Colonna. In the sixties RAI, the Italian public broadcaster and conference host, acquired the building from its last private owner Don Carlos de Beistegui.

Palazzo Labia has a facade on the Canal Grande as well as on Campo Geremia, a main square not far from the old Venetian jewish quarter also known as Ghetto. The water bus stop Le Guglie is around the corner and offers a direct connection with Murano and Venice’s main airport Marco Polo.

Coffee and lunch breaks will be held on the ground floor of the Palazzo which is also where the sponsor booths will be located. All presentations and workshops will be held on the first floor. The main conference room will be the ballroom painted by Tiepolo, but this room has a capacity of 150 seats only. This means that plenary sessions will be broadcast live into two adjacent rooms as well.

Holding the FIAT/IFTA World Conference here is a unique but challenging experience. Considering the nature of the building, utmost respect and consideration is asked from all visitors when attending the sessions and moving through it.
The Welcome Cocktail of the 2018 FIAT/IFTA World Conference will be held on Wednesday, October 10th at the Palazzo Loredan Vendramin Calergi, also known as the Casinò di Venezia. An iconic example of Venetian Renaissance architecture, it is situated on the Canal Grande in the Cannaregio quarter, not far from Palazzo Labia, the main conference venue.

The spacious palace stands three stories high with direct access to the Canal Grande. On this side, the beauty and balance of the facade are magnificent. Each level is divided by classically inspired columns. Sumptuous paintings, sculptures and architectural details originally filled the building's interior. The ceilings of many rooms were decorated by baroque master Mattia Bortoloni.

Since 1959 the Palazzo hosts the Venice casino, widely recognised as the oldest casino in the world. Next to this it is also the home of the Richard Wagner museum. The German composer died here of a heart attack at the age of 69 on 13 February 1883.
Like the other conference locations, the Gala Dinner and Awards event, on Thursday 11th October, will offer a unique experience in an unforgettable location. The Scuola Grande San Giovanni was founded in 1261 and is the oldest of the five Venetian ‘schools’: brotherhoods that promoted charity and prayer. This prestigious building has been adapted several times over the centuries, but has always remained a splendid example of medieval and early modern architecture.

The ground floor contains the famous Sala delle Colonne (Hall of Columns), a part of the original 13th century building which is still frequently used for exhibitions. The second floor is reached via the Scalone Monumentale (Great Staircase). Here is the Salone, a grand hall decorated in early eighteenth century style, with paintings by Tiepolo which represent famous scenes from Venetian history.

The Scuola Grande San Giovanni is within walking distance of the Palazzo Labia, the main conference venue.

Conference venues

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