Venice Art Mask Factory

The Venice Art Mask Factory is a real, well-known factory producing traditional Venetian carnival masks, located in the town of Shkoder in northern Albania (not in Vlora).

World-Class Craft From the Heart of Albania

It’s run by Albanian craftsman Edmond Angoni, who emigrated to Italy in the 1990s and learned the art of Venetian mask-making there before returning to found this factory in Shkoder. The factory uses the same traditional “cartapesta” (handmade papier-mâché) technique used in Venice itself.

Production Exported Worldwide

The factory employs hundreds of craftspeople and produces tens of thousands of masks a year, exported mainly to Italy, France, Greece, Japan, Canada, and the United States. The factory also became known for supplying masks for Stanley Kubrick’s film “Eyes Wide Shut.”

What You Can Do There

• A guided tour to watch the detailed handcrafting process
• Interactive workshops to try making a mask yourself
• Buying authentic masks at prices lower than in Venice itself (roughly €20 to €150)

Frequently Asked Questions

Which town is the factory located in? In Shkoder, northern Albania.

Are the masks entirely handmade? Yes, using the same traditional cartapesta technique used in Venice.