nss sports and Erreà celebrate Italian volleyball Introducing "Democracy of Volleyball", a photographic fanzine
In Italy, volleyball has never been just a matter of what happens on the court. It has found its way into gyms, squares, arenas and the lives of entire generations, gradually building a language rooted in passion, belonging and community. It is from this idea that Democracy of Volleyball was born, the fanzine created by nss sports in collaboration with Erreà, a project that explores the tradition of Italian volleyball through the lens of four cities: Naples, Modena, Turin and Milan. Four places with different histories, geographies and identities, yet united by a deep connection to the sport and by volleyball’s ability to become, in different ways, an expression of the territory.
In Naples, Fabio Monaco captures a city where volleyball exists within an urban landscape shaped by energy, contrasts and a strong sense of belonging. In Modena, Mattia Bianco explores one of the symbolic places of Italian volleyball tradition, where the culture of the game has become an integral part of the city’s identity over time. Fabiana Amato brings her lens to Turin, offering a perspective on a city that experiences sport through different languages and communities. In Milan, finally, Aria Ruffini portrays a constantly evolving metropolis, where volleyball coexists with an increasingly open and cross-disciplinary contemporary sports culture.
Four photographers, four cities, four ways of looking at the same sport. This is the democratic dimension of the project: volleyball belongs to everyone, but every territory interprets it in its own way. The choice of the title, Democracy of Volleyball, is therefore no coincidence. Italian volleyball is a democracy because it is built on participation. It is a sport in which the individual gesture only finds meaning within a collective structure, where every point comes from the ability to bring together different skills and where every victory belongs to a team.
This culture of collectivity has also helped turn Italy into one of the world’s leading forces in volleyball. Tradition is not measured only by the titles won, but by the continuity of a system capable of developing players, coaches and professionals, exporting its methods, expertise and a distinct approach to the game around the world. But a truly living tradition is not one that stands still. It is one that knows how to evolve without losing its identity. Italian volleyball continues to change, opening itself up to new generations, new languages and new forms of expression. From arenas to the streets, from photography to fanzines, its story no longer belongs solely to the world of sports reporting. Perhaps this is the true meaning of Italian excellence in volleyball: not simply having reached the top time and again, but having built a culture strong enough to continue generating new stories.
