ArtCentrica EDU

Students urgently need social-emotional learning (SEL)

Current education systems are not adequate for our society

Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder (Source: WHO - Mental health of adolescents)

By 2030, the labor market will change for 8 out of 10 occupations due to the AI revolution (Source: EY-ManpowerGroup-Sanoma 2023)

ArtCentrica EDU is a simple, creative and engaging tool.

ArtCentrica EDU contains more than 8,000 works of art from the Uffizi Galleries in very high resolution, up to 10 GigaPixels, a selection of works of art from the Brera Museum, the MET, the Rijkmuseum, the Istituto Centrale per la Grafica in Rome, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Finnish National Museum, the Egyptian Museum, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Reims, the SMK (Statens Museum for Kunst), the Staedel Museum and 30 Florentine views. Thanks to GigaPixel images and enabling technologies, it is possible to appreciate the most intimate details of masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Caravaggio and hundreds of other artists, with a quality of image and associated knowledge that is not available on the market.

Details in highest resolution:
All artworks can be zoomed in to appreciate every detail and study them in depth. This invites discussions around specific topics of interest on each work

Comparison of works:
By clicking on the 'compare' button of two works of art, you can compare them in detail to discover similarities or differences, e.g. according to a historical period, an artistic movement and much more.

Access to textual information on the work:
Each work of art presents a description including information such as: title, name of the artist, materials and techniques used, which collection it comes from and dimensions.

Creation of learning paths through visual research:
Teachers can access a series of suggestions related to different topics within the artworks. These suggestions are designed to build thematic pathways that teachers can integrate into their lessons.

Virtual measurements:
After zooming in on the images, it is possible to measure the elements of the artwork.

Timeline search:
By clicking on the timeline you can see how artworks and styles have changed over time. The timeline is organised by collection and gives you a complete presentation of all works of art.

Access to textual information about the work:
Each work of art presents a description including information such as: title, name of the artist, materials and techniques used, which collection it comes from and dimensions.

Creation of learning paths through visual research:
Teachers can access a series of suggestions related to different topics within the artworks. These suggestions are designed to build thematic pathways that teachers can integrate into their lessons.

Virtual measurements:
After zooming in on the images, it is possible to measure the elements of the artwork.

Timeline search:
By clicking on the timeline you can see how artworks and styles have changed over time. The timeline is organised by collection and gives you a complete presentation of all works of art. 

Lesson Creation and Annotation Tool:
You can create your own lessons easily and immediately. With the annotation tool, you can select a detail of an artwork in your lesson and add a short text related to that detail.

Stories
You can create unique narratives that explain art in a highly original and engaging way by combining audio, music, markers and details.

Video demo

ArtCentrica EDU is addressing the education market, teachers and students.

Our solution has been designed to be global.

At a later stage we want to provide the solution also to art-lovers.

ArtCentrica is an EdTech solution that addresses the education market, a growing sector, reinforced by the pandemic situation. In this context, the digital transformation of culture has become an increasingly urgent need, while at the same time necessitating the development of new ways of teaching and learning. Therefore, ensuring access to cultural heritage online is crucial for our future.

The founders have more than 20 years in art, culture, education and digital technologies.

The team is interdiscplinar, from art historians, to teachers, to ux experts, to develpers, and intercultural (Italian, French, Albanian, Italo-Taiwanese).

ArtCentrica EDU is present in 15 schools in Italy, one in UK, serving 40 teachers and 1,000 students.

Moreover the personalised developments of ArtCentrica Platform have served more than 250.000 art-lovers.

We think that ArtCentrica EDU can find resonance with Solve, in terms of networking, partnership, collaboration and funding. We are continously improving ArtCentrica EDU but we know that to create an impact you need to be fast and find the right partnership.

ArtCentrica's approach is innovative for several reasons: with its tools and content, it is the platform of excellence for studying art history in an immersive and comprehensive manner. But not only that, we go beyond the study of art history, proposing an interdisciplinary approach that turns art into a journey accessible to all, narrating humanity and its ingenuity in a unique and engaging way. In addition, the ArtCentrica approach focuses in every lesson on developing soft skills in an interactive way. 

According to Harvard research, 85 per cent of job success comes from possessing well-developed soft skills, while only 15 per cent comes from basic technical skills. Our platform enables a world in which every student can learn through art, fostering creativity and critical thinking skills, in a lifelong and interdisciplinary learning perspective, linking art to science, creative writing and more.

Our creation tools for teachers and students focus on experience, stimulating creativity and digital mastery, and preparing for a constantly changing world. In fact, we are based on active learning, allowing you to exploit the full potential of technology to design your own teaching or learning content. Lessons and presentations are made directly on the platform without having to use another programme, and let's not forget the fantastic Stories! A tool that allows you to combine storytelling and emotionality with interactive images linked to your audio, letting your creativity run free.

ArtCentrica gives teachers and students the possibility to study and explore Art in all its details, including thematic explorations, both in the classroom and remotely. We believe that it is a necessity to integrate technical-scientific knowledge with humanistic skills. The goal we have set ourselves is to try to bridge the gap between Art and EdTech, improve students' soft skills and increase their interest in the discipline, for greater academic preparation. Thanks to its features, ArtCentrica meets these needs. 

ArtCentrica Platform is a proprietary, scalable software that connects Gigapixel image details to related concepts, powered by AI, with interdisciplinary pedagogical functions and an innovative business model that brings revenue to museums.

We want to address the challenges of mental health and well-being in schools with ArtCentrica EDU.

We integrate digital art and storytelling into the educational process. This innovative approach uses art to foster expression and connection, allowing students and educators to explore emotions and develop empathy. By incorporating these creative elements, we aim to enhance the learning environment, promoting well-being and emotional intelligence across the school community.

To foster a systemic, whole-school approach to enhancing mental health and well-being in schools, we propose leveraging innovative social-emotional intelligence development programs, ensuring digital inclusivity in education, and engaging a broad spectrum of stakeholders. Central to this initiative is the integration of art and digital storytelling as key components. By incorporating ArtCentrica's digital art resources and artistic narration, we aim to provide a rich, interactive platform for students and educators to explore and express their emotions, experiences, and cultural narratives. This artistic engagement not only enriches the educational experience but also serves as a powerful tool for emotional healing, self-expression, and the development of empathy and social cohesion. Through the therapeutic and educational potential of art and storytelling, our approach seeks to create an inclusive, supportive learning environment that values and promotes mental well-being at every level of the school community.

Implementation of Social Emotional Learning training and tailored activities using Art observation and storytelling activities.

In ArtCentrica EDU we are creating tailored activity pathways, for school leaders, teachers, and students, each designed to meet the specific challenges related to their distinct roles and developmental stages.

To prepare school leaders, teachers, trainers, and other education professionals to understand well-being and mental health issues, to strengthen their knowledge and capacities in a systematic way (both in initial teacher education (ITE) and continuing professional development (CPD) programmes), online training will be created and made available.

Teachers will be provided with activities that support their dual needs as individuals and educators, enabling them to foster their well-being while equipping them with strategies to support their students effectively. These activities will integrate interaction with art and storytelling, empowering teachers to explore and express their own experiences and emotions, as well as to facilitate similar processes for their students. This approach aims to create a reflective space where teachers can engage with art in a way that resonates personally and professionally, thereby enhancing their ability to guide students through their own journeys of self-expression and empathy building.

For students, the platform will offer activities that encourage personal growth and emotional literacy through art observation and creating their narratives, fostering a deeper connection with themselves and others. By providing these targeted and interactive pathways, ArtCentrica EDU commits to leveraging the power of art and storytelling to enrich the social-emotional learning landscape for the entire school community.

Families and communities will be engaged in initiatives to gain awareness of mental health and well-being, including workshops, resource centres, and collaborative events. This engagement ensures a cohesive approach to supporting students, extending the impact beyond the school environment 

To measure the effectiveness of its approach in enhancing the well-being of teachers and students, ArtCentrica plans to implement a comprehensive set of tools and metrics within the platform:

• Pre- and post-intervention surveys designed to assess changes in emotional well-being, stress levels, empathy, and self-expression before and after participating in the ArtCentrica activities. These surveys will be tailored to address specific aspects relevant to both teachers and students.
• Well-being indexes: Implementation of standardised well-being indexes to quantitatively measure improvements. These may include validated scales such as the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) for broader psychological well-being assessment or the Social and Emotional Wellbeing Survey tailored for educational settings.
• Covers key aspects of psychological functioning: optimism, autonomy, agency, curiosity, clarity of thought, and positive relationships; and positive affect (feelings): confidence, feeling relaxed, cheerful, and having the energy to spare. (N.B. SWEMWBS, the 7-item scale, has a narrower coverage with more focus on psychological functioning).
• Facilitates a better understanding of mental well-being at both an individual and organisational level.
• Can offer greater credibility for mental wellbeing and help drive positive action and change.
• Enables comparison of different types of intervention and programmes to improve mental health and wellbeing.
• Can be used with whole populations and with targeted groups.
• The scales are used internationally and valid translations are available in a wide range of languages.

Behavioral analytics: The platform will track user engagement with various activities, including time spent on art observation and storytelling sections, participation rates in interactive tasks, and frequency of use. These analytics provide insights into how actively users are engaging with the tools designed to promote well-being.

Feedback mechanisms: Regular feedback sessions will be incorporated, allowing users to share their experiences and perceived benefits from the activities. This qualitative data will offer valuable perspectives on the program's impact on individuals' well-being.

Focus groups and interviews: Periodic focus groups with teachers and interviews with students to delve deeper into the subjective experience of the program.

These discussions can reveal in-depth insights into how interaction with art and storytelling influences their well-being, self-awareness, and empathy.

Comparative analysis: For schools involved in the WholeMind Schooling project, comparing behavioral incidents, academic performance, and absenteeism rates before and after the program's implementation could serve as indirect measures of improved well-being and school climate.

Expected impact

Build, test, implement and evaluate policy interventions to support schools and school leaders in building an integrated and comprehensive strategy towards supporting wellbeing and mental health in schools; develop solutions (including embedding well-being in curricula, school planning and governance processes, training materials and courses for teachers and school leaders, handbooks, etc.) to prepare school leaders, teachers, trainers and other educational staff to understand well-being and mental health issues and to support development of social and emotional competences of learners and their teachers.

ArtCentrica Platform is an integrated system of horizontally scalable web services and micro-services that uses or can use several hardware machines simultaneously.
It consists of a document-oriented database server, an integrated API service, the XLimage® server for the import and use of very high resolution images, two web control panels, one for administration and one for authoring, in HTML5 language, and finally one or more clients. 
These elements can be installed simultaneously on the same machine or on separate machines, depending on scalability requirements.
The integration of very high resolution images (up to tens of Gigapixels) together with the knowledge related to them, described through the ontologies managed by XLknowledge®, allow to innovate learning in art and other disciplines.
ArtCentrica Platform has recently introduced artificial intelligence to automatically suggest and manually review regions of interest associated with concepts and to create AI Stories from the SaaS service ArtCentrica EDU, relating to works of art or other content of cultural and recreational interest, to generate relevant multimedia video content with the integration of text, human or synthetic voice and subtitles.
The ArtCentrica Platform is powering ArtCentrica EDU. Moreover we design and develop personalised projects, based on ArtCentrica Platform, like The Greatest Wildlife Photographs for National Geographic, Mantegna Digitale and many others.

We are providing ArtCentrica and testing in Italian and UK schools since two years. In particular we mention here the Future Art Education Project by the Regional Council of Tuscany, that aims to bring innovation in schools, responding to the growing need to disseminate digital competences and develop the skills necessary for the world of work.

ArtCentrica and the Liceo Artistico di Porta Romana and Sesto Fiorentino have actively responded to the call, offering teachers a support tool in their daily teaching and involving students to enable them to acquire the necessary skills.

The project is focusing on two aspects:

1. Museum at school: the application of ArtCentrica tools to the 'Museum of Ceramics of the Liceo Artistico di Sesto Fiorentino' project digitisation and cataloguing workshop
2.  ArtCentrica EDU in the classroom

The use of ArtCentrica as a teaching aid in three-year classes (3rd, 4th, 5th) Inside the school there is a space used as a museum, where the ceramic works of renowned teacher-artists and former students are kept. In order to keep alive the awareness of the Sesto Fiorentino tradition of ceramics and to protect the historical-artistic heritage, on the initiative of Prof. D'Ermoggine, History of Art teacher and departmental referent for the discipline, and in agreement with the school headmaster and the teaching staff, it was decided to include this important museum in the Future Art Education activities, exploited by the potentialities of ArtCentrica.

The project involves the students of class 4A of the Ceramic Design course, in activities of historical research, collection of data for cataloguing, digitisation and insertion of content within the ArtCentrica platform.

Through ArtCentrica it is possible to realise numerous activities:

• Simulation of a professional digitisation and cataloguing workshop
• Study of museum objects
• Creation of a collection on the platform
• Understand the world of work

The use of ArtCentrica as a teaching aid aims to create a pedagogical bridge for third, fourth and fifth grade classes, based on art and through the adoption of a technological and interdisciplinary approach.

The main objective is to stimulate and consolidate students' critical thinking by approaching the analysis of artistic works with innovative and engaging tools.By studying the works with ArtCentrica tools, teachers and students will be immersed in a cultural context ranging from aesthetic beauty to interdisciplinary analysis.

Similarly, the digital exploration of works of art is enabling students to grasp the intersection of art and technology, so that they develop transversal skills and targeted knowledge.

By encouraging critical thinking, the project challenges students to explore, reflect and express their opinions in an argumentative and informed manner. The interdisciplinary analysis of the works and the connection with the humanities can prepare them to successfully face intellectual and work challenges.

We aim that the initiative will be extended to all Tuscany artistic schools and, hopefully, of all Italy and beyond. ArtCentrica EDU can be used fruitfully also in other types of schools, using art as a mean to study other matters: geography, history, math and more.

Founders

Marco Cappellini, CEO & Co-founder

Paolo Romoli, CTO and co-founder, 

Paolo De Rocco , R&D e co-founder

Full-time Team

• Céline Ona, educational designer, teacher

• Sara Ollani, content manager, art historian

• Gionata Poggi, Sales & Marketing

Part-time

• Nicole De Zanetti, Internship
• Elisabetta Accorsi, Product Manager

• Giulio De Giorgio, Full Stack Devel oper.

• Jonela Llaci, Art Director UX/UI designer. Profilo Linkedin

• Irene Arrighi, International Business Development. Profilo Linkedin 

ArtCentrica is a spinoff of Centrica, a first mover and leading company in Italy for ultra-high resolution digitisation and the development of innovative digital solutions in art. The many experiences made by Centrica's founders in the development of interactive applications for the enjoyment of cultural content, as well art education in the immersive and interactive exhibition Uffizi Virtual Experience, provided to 1,200 students to learn about art from former actors of the Piccolo di Milano using Uffizi Touch, led the founders to conceive the ArtCentrica project at the end of 2019, which then became an innovative start-up in 2022.

ArtCentrica team is composed by a majority of female people. We are adding Elisabetta Accorsi to the board. Moreover the team is multicultural (Italian, French, Albanian and Italian-Taiwanese).

Schools and universities pay an annual fee and museums that enter into partnership with ArtCentrica receive a percentage of the fee paid by the educational institutions. The starting price for a class is $900/year with possible discounts if the duration of the licence is longer. The goal is to arrive at a simulated price per student/year at a value equivalent to $8-10.

ArtCentrica Ad Hoc is marketed on a project-by-project basis according to the customisations of the ArtCentrica Platform (e.g. National Geographic and Pinacoteca di Brera).
In 2024 (Q3 and Q4) we plan to introduce the B2C teacher and the B2C art lover.
To penetrate the market quickly, we are testing various avenues, from agreements with retailers to online marketing campaigns to create leads via the web. B2C will introduce another growth factor through online marketing, word-of-mouth and through the relationship with OTTs with whom we have already started dialogue (Amazon Alexa, Huawei).

First year of the startup we have not created revenues, apart for a personalised project. Second year we have started selling ArtCentrica EDU year subscription in the Italian market and UK market. We are defining agreements with an US company to represent us in the USA.

With personalised projects we are creating revenues.

We are confident that 2024 will see an increase in both products and probably first sales in B2C.