Lavazza honors commitment to entertainment with Martin Scorsese Virtual Production Center at NYU Tisch School
Italian coffee brand Lavazza announces its collaboration with the cafè lounge within the Martin Scorsese Virtual Production Center at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. The space is designed to fuel the next generation of filmmakers, storytellers, and creative technologists, the New York-based company says.
Through this collaboration, Lavazza deepens its connection to the creative community and its ongoing investment in the cultural landscape.
The collaboration officially launched with an intimate evening hosted by legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese, accompanied by his daughter, actress and filmmaker Francesca Scorsese, and Daniele Foti, Lavazza’s vice president of marketing, who welcomed guests to celebrate this exciting union of cinematic and coffee excellence.
Located on the Brooklyn waterfront at Industry City, the Martin Scorsese Virtual Production Center is home to NYU Tisch’s new Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Virtual Production. The program offers a nine-month, immersive education in the rapidly evolving art of storytelling through virtual production, blending technology, performance, and design.
“The Martin Scorsese Virtual Production Center is an innovative training ground for filmmakers and a space that champions unfettered creativity. NYU Tisch School of the Arts is grateful for Lavazza’s contribution to cultivating this exciting new café space where students can energetically exchange ideas and stories,” said NYU Tisch School of the Arts' Dean Rubén Polendo.
For Lavazza, this collaboration extends the brand’s long-standing commitment to supporting art, culture, and cinema. The company has been a proud partner of global cultural institutions and events including the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Independent Spirit Awards, Italian Contemporary Film Festival (ICFF), and the Guggenheim Museum, among others.
The lounge, overlooking the Upper New York Bay, is designed to serve as a creative hub and a place where students can gather, collaborate, and recharge. Inspired by the spirit of Sicily, the café brings a touch of Italian warmth and artistry to Brooklyn. Outfitted with Lavazza’s Flavia machines and its signature Dolcevita Classico espresso and coffee line, the lounge embodies the brand’s mission to fuel creativity and foster exchange.
When visiting the Center at launch, Scorsese reflected on his family’s Sicilian roots and the connection between culture, storytelling, and community. Standing in the Caffè Lounge with its view of the waterfront, he remarked that it felt like the perfect place to recreate the Sicilian café experience: a gathering space for filmmakers to share ideas, experiences, and inspiration over a cup of espresso.
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