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About Us
AWDA, founded in 2012, is currently run by Cinzia, Ferrara, Laura Moretti, and Carla Palladino, along with an intergenerational team: Alice Bianco, Costanza de Luca, Benedetta De Rossi, Angelica D’Errico, Elia Maniscalco, Bianca Sangalli Moretti and Lucia Tonelli.
CURATORS
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Cinzia Ferrara
Cinzia Ferrara
Associate Professor at the University of Palermo, architect and visual communication designer. She is the Coordinator of the Master’s Degree Course in Design, Sustainability and Digital Culture for the Territory. National President of AIAP (2015–17) and Vice President (2009–15). Design Ambassador for the Italian Design Day (2017). Author of books and essays published in national and international journals. She is involved in editorial committees,observatories, and European projects.
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Laura Moretti
Laura Moretti
Designer and creative director of the studio that bears her name. Since 2005, she has been teaching graphic design and is currently a lecturer at IED Florence. She curates and organises exhibitions and workshops focused on graphic design, with particular attention to printing techniques and manual printmaking. Selected in the 2016 ADI Design Index for the coordinated identity project of AWDA, Aiap Women in Design Award, she is a regular member of scientific committees and juries for awards related to visual communication.
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Carla Palladino
Carla Palladino
Visual communication designer, she has always worked across a wide range of professional experiences: from editorial design (havingdesigned book covers and catalogues for Mondadori for many yars), to packaging, from political and institutional communication to consultancy for cultural events and private companies. Vice President of AIAP (2015–17) and President of the Board of Arbitrators (2017–21). She curates and organises events, exhibitions, and awards, and serves on international juries.
TEAM
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Alice Bianco
Alice Bianco
Photographer and graphic designer from Bologna, she graduated from LABA in Rimini and continued with a two-year Master’s pro- gram in Communication and Publishing Design at ISIA in Urbino. After an internship in Amsterdam at Studio Van Lennep, she continues to explore and define her place in the world of design.
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Costanza de Luca
Costanza de Luca
Visual designer based in Amsterdam. With a strong foundation in UX/UI design, branding, and editorial projects, she has built a diverse portfolio of impactful communication for clients across the cultural, hospitality, and corporate sectors. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Design from Politecnico di Milano and a Master’s degree from ISIA Urbino. In 2018, she further specialized in typography by completing the Type-Design Fundamentals course at CFP Bauer in Milan and participating in the ISIA U – Werkplaats Typografie Summer School, where she returned as a tutor in 2019. Since 2020, she has actively contributed to the Aiap Women in Design Award.
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Benedetta De Rossi
Benedetta De Rossi
After completing her bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design at ISIA Urbino, she continued her studies at the same institution, pursuing a master’s degree in Design for Publishing. She combines editorial design with an interest in information design and data visualisation, mainly through exploring the interaction between these fields.
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Angelica D'Errico
Angelica D'Errico
Feminist journalist, she got a degree in European and International Politics at the Catholic University of Milan and a first level master’s degree at the Walter Tobagi School of Journalism. She has been collaborating with the AWDA Prize since 2021. After starting out as a blogger at Linkiesta.it and editor at TgCom24, Radio Capital and La Stampa, she has been working at L’Unione Sarda for nine years.
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Elia Maniscalco
Elia Maniscalco
PhD in Architecture, Arts and Planning, specialising in UX/UI Design and Design for social change. Experienced in teaching and leading international projects of community empowerment, Elia is a published author and conference speaker, integrating research, design, and education to create lasting social and cultural impact.
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Bianca Sangalli Moretti
Bianca Sangalli Moretti
Illustrator and art director, she graduated in Illustration from ISIA Urbino and, after her studies, moved abroad to work on illustration and animation projects for advertising. From 2020 to 2023 she was art director at Niceshit Studio, and in 2021 published the children’s book P ha perso una storia with Edizioni Clichy. Back in Italy, in 2024 she co-founded Nora Studio, a creative practice specialising in illustration and animation. Alongside her professional work, she teaches Character Design at IED Florence and collaborates with various foundations and institutions on educational projects. Her practice often engages with themes of sustainability and gender equality. Her work is characterised by simple forms, delicate colours, and a narrative approach with strong emotional impact.
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Lucia Tonelli
Lucia Tonelli
Based in Turin, she is an Italian visual designer working across branding, editorial, and visual communication, with a focus on illustration, information, and web design. Her practice emphasizes clarity and visual storytelling, developed through collaborations with e-commerce, cultural institutions, non-profits, and international brands. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from the University of the Republic of San Marino and a Master’s degree in Design and Visual Communication from ISIA Urbino. Since 2022, she has been involved with the Aiap Women in Design Award, creating and coordinating visual projects, materials, events, and communication assets for the competition.
