La Civetta: Bristol University Italian quarterly takes flight for summer
By Milan Perera, Deputy Editor
The Italian Department at the University of Bristol launched the summer edition of its flagship quarterly, La Civetta on May 31 at Brandon Hill.
With a mission to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of Italian culture and language as a bilingual magazine, La Civetta promises to be a platform for students to explore the rich heritage and diverse aspects of Italian society.
La Civetta aims to provide a comprehensive and multifaceted perspective on Italy's historical, artistic, literary, and contemporary dimensions. The quarterly publication features a diverse range of articles, interviews, essays, and reviews contributed by students at the Italian Department.
Topics span literature, cinema, art, history, cuisine, fashion, and travel, allowing readers to delve into the multifaceted aspects of Italian culture.
The special summer edition of La Civetta, La Dolce Vita, attempts to capture the sights and sounds of the sun-drenched Italian landscape. The contributors painstakingly put together a large compilation of articles on relaxation, food, glamour, travel and sports relating to the season of summer.
The editorial team of La Civetta is comprised of a dedicated group of students from the Italian Department, who have been working over the past three months to bring this project to life. Led by Editor-in-Chief, Cailin Evans, the team has been curating engaging and insightful content that will captivate readers and ignite their passion for Italian culture and the way of life.
Speaking exclusively to Epigram, Bruno Quinney, the Deputy Editor pointed out:
‘We’re really pleased to have published our summer edition of La Civetta, which I hope people will be excited to read. This summer’s edition tops off a great year for the magazine: we have published three editions in an academic year for the first time since the pandemic, as well as being recognised for our work at the Student Publication Awards. This edition’s theme, ‘La Dolce Vita’, is all about celebrating the summer season, with a big focus on travel, lifestyle, and food.
‘We hope it appeals not just to students who are serial readers, but also to new readers interested in Italian culture or anyone looking for some tips before going away to Italy during the summer break.’
He finished off thanking the editorial team and the contributors for the edition:
‘As ever, credit goes to our contributors, designers, and social media team, this edition’s editor, Cailin Evans, and the support from the Italian department at Bristol.’
La Civetta proudly celebrates its performance at the annual Student Publication Awards (SPA) held in Glasgow on April 1 which earned them a ‘Highly Commended’ award for Best Specialist Publication. The event was attended by Megan Davies, Bruno Quinney and James Dowden on behalf of the publication.
Speaking to Epigram, Megan Davies, the former Editor-in-Chief at La Civetta said:
‘I’m so proud of my team of ‘Bristalians’ for their work both in Italian and English for La Civetta this year. Working on the magazine for all four years of my degree has been such a treat. But the weekend itself was far more than just about the award. Getting to know other student publications like the formidable Mancunion and the lovely team over at The Cheesegrater.’
The first edition of La Civetta was launched back in March 2014 and this year marks the first academic year since the pandemic with three editions. It is currently available as an online magazine on Joomag.
With the launch of La Civetta, the Italian Department at University of Bristol has firmly established itself as a hub for Italian culture and education, fostering a deeper understanding for Italy's rich traditions and current trends.