The Scuola Superiore d'Arte Applicata del Castello Sforzesco

The Scuola Superiore d'Arte Applicata del Castello Sforzesco is one of Milan’s oldest educational institutions dedicated to the applied arts. Founded in 1882, it was established with the goal of passing on artisanal knowledge and training new generations of professionals through an educational model that combines practice, design, and the culture of craftsmanship. Throughout its history, it has accompanied the evolution of craftsmanship and the visual arts, maintaining a strong link between tradition and innovation.

Today, the School is an open community composed of faculty, students, artists, and artisans who share skills, techniques, and artistic languages. The curriculum ranges from historical disciplines—such as fresco, mosaic, engraving, and tapestry—to contemporary forms of illustration, comics, and digital painting, with programs designed to support both those new to the applied arts and those seeking to refine their professional practice.

More than just a school, the Scuola Superiore d’Arte Applicata del Castello Sforzesco is a permanent workshop for the transmission of know-how, where the heritage of artisanal techniques engages in dialogue with contemporary experimentation. With a history spanning nearly a century and a half and a network of alumni who have left their mark on the Italian art and design scene, it continues to serve as a point of reference for artistic education and design culture.