PRACTICES OF BELONGING
Within the framework of PF26: Sorgenti, Ecologia Sociale and Attraversabilità present a section of what is conceived as an unconventional mapping of the landscape, through six “games” — or rather, exploratory experiences — unfolding across the forest, the village, and the river.
These playful proposals emerge from the Practices of Belonging developed during Piedicavallo Festival 2025, where a series of key concepts — listening, the body, celebration, care, interdependence, and consent — shaped through an ecological and accessibility-oriented perspective, invited participants to move through the festival and its landscape with a shared attitude and awareness.
These site-based activations reinterpret those practices as lived experiences: an invitation to investigate the landscape through a situated perspective.

SAFE AREA
Safe Area is a care and support initiative within Piedicavallo Festival, developed by the Attraversabilità project of Sotterranea APS. Its aim is to help build a safer space for everyone moving through the festival, the village and the surrounding landscape — while also fostering care and respect for the landscape itself and the human and more-than-human communities that host us.

Safe Area Hub
6:00 PM – 1:00 AM
The Safe Area team runs a dedicated space in the picnic area at SPONDE, offering active listening as well as emotional and physical support. Anyone in need of a quiet space to decompress, seeking support, or wishing to report discriminatory or non-consensual behaviour is welcome to reach out to the team.
The team promotes consent, non-violence, anti-discrimination, non-judgement, and respect for both the human and more-than-human community that welcomes us. The project is grounded in practices of active bystanding, active listening, mutual care, and solidarity.
The Safe Area operates daily from 6:00 PM at SPONDE and works in close coordination with the bar, security staff, and the festival information point. A discreet code phrase — “Can I speak with Petra?” — can also be used at the SPONDE Bar to request support without drawing unwanted attention.

Pop-Up Library
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Safe Area collaborates with the Piedicavallo Library, which for PF26 presents a curated selection of books exploring the Alta Valle Cervo, its landscape, traditions, and local legends. A place to read, play, and slow down.

Harm Reduction with Drop-In
Safe Area collaborates with Drop-In, the harm reduction and risk mitigation service of the Biella Local Health Authority (ASL), dedicated to promoting physical and mental wellbeing through information, listening, counselling, prevention, and healthcare support. The service pays particular attention to substance-related risks, sexual health, and overall psychophysical wellbeing.
As part of the festival, the Drop-In team provides an on-site harm reduction service offering:

alcohol testing and prevention tools;
health information and educational materials;
first-level support and referral to local services;
opportunities for dialogue, awareness, and education.

Their presence also brings an educational dimension to the festival, encouraging participatory approaches to health as a collective practice, a shared responsibility, and an expression of mutual care within the festival community.