Thirty rising juniors and seniors from Greenville County Schools’ Fine Arts Center, accompanied by seven adult chaperones, visited Italy from May 26 through June 4.
A trip to Europe had been in the works for about two years before it became a reality. Applications were open to rising juniors and seniors across all disciplines and FAC accepted all students who applied.
The first stop of the young diplomats’ tour was Bergamo, Greenville’s Sister City. Bergamo and Greenville began a partnership in 1985 based on notable commonalities: both are similarly-sized foothills towns with textile industry bases and thriving cycling cultures.
Highlights from the students’ time in the city included a guided tour of Città Alta, the historic Upper Town, and a pilgrimage to a gelateria to get a taste of Bergamo’s own stracciatella flavor.
From Bergamo, students toured to Verona, Cremona, Florence and Milan.
Artistic ambassadors
Fine Arts Center director Vee Popat referred to the group as “artistic ambassadors;” they not only had the opportunity to learn about Italian art and culture, but also share their own talents. They opened the Cremona Music Festival with readings of creative writing pieces, theater monologues and vocal performances.
“Italy is a great place to start for an artistic experiential trip,” said FAC director Vee Popat. “There’s so much to do and see historically and artistically.”
Visual artist and rising junior Sophia Lore was one of the students who returned feeling inspired.
“Seeing paintings, sculptures, and architecture in the places they were originally created made them feel much more meaningful,” she said. In person, she was able to get a closer look at the techniques used by the most revered artists in history.
Among the galleries of masterpieces, perhaps the most valuable lessons were intangible. Students bonded over once-in-a-lifetime tours and sightseeing, but also on bus rides and over meals.
“I realized that some of the best memories come from just saying yes to new experiences,” said Gabriel Vargas, a rising senior in the theatre performance program.
Aside from the memories and friendships, Popat hoped his students would see how “art unites” across disciplines and cultures, and that this trip would give students the confidence that comes from adapting to a new way of life.
FAC’s world exploration does not stop with the 2026 Italy excursion. Popat said he hoped to keep the connection with Bergamo going, and to also start a connection with another of Greenville’s Sister Cities – Kortrijk, Belgium.
