Artichoke production in Italy Artichoke production in Italy Artichoke production in Italy has a long history. Italy is the world's largest producer of artichokes. With Spain and France, the three countries produce more than 80% of the world's artichokes. There are two theories as to its origin: artichokes may have come from the Levant, derived from the cardoon or thistle through a cross-fertilization process, while others attribute it to the work of Italian horticulturists. The first record of artichoke cultivation in Italy was during the fifteenth century in Naples, where it was considered a new food species. In 1466, Filippo Strozzi brought the first
Artichoke (company) the same year. Their production of "The Sultan's Elephant" won the Visit London Award for Cultural Event of the Year in 2006. In October 2007 "Artichoke" mounted a one-day conference, "Larger Than Life", on all aspects of staging large-scale productions. The "Artichoke Trust" is a registered charity (Reg Charity No 1112716), funded by the Arts Council and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and raising significant funds from other trusts, foundations and businesses, as well as by public donation. "Artichoke" also works as a consultant through its non-charitable company, Artichoke Productions Ltd. Nicky Webb and Helen Marriage worked together intermittently on productions