10 Summer Festivals in Italy: A Guide to Post-Pandemic Cultural Reopenings
After months of pandemic restrictions, Italy's cultural venues are reopening, with a vibrant summer festival season from June to September 2021. The article lists 10 key festivals across the country, spanning dance, music, theater, literature, and visual arts. Highlights include: Welcome to Socotra in Milan (until July 24), a collaboration between Swatch Art Peace Hotel and Fondazione Feltrinelli featuring international emerging artists; Hidden Histories in Rome (until September 30), curated by Sara Alberani and Valerio Del Baglivo, with decolonial public art interventions; Magic Lantern Film Festival in Rome (June to September), showcasing Italian emerging video artists; Stupinigi Sonic Park at Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi (Nichelino), a limited-edition festival with exclusive performances; Piemonte dal Vivo at Reggia di Venaria (July 2 to August 3), featuring theater, dance, and music; Torino Jazz Festival (June 19-27 and September 27-October 3) at OGR, Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi, and Teatro Vittoria; Varese Estense Festival (June 25-July 12) with opera and theater; Passaggi Festival in Fano (June 18-25), a literary event; TRAME Festival in Grosseto (June 24-27), an urban regeneration project painting shop shutters; and MAP Festival in Taranto (June 18-30), exploring music and architecture. All events adhere to safety protocols, with limited seating and outdoor venues.
Key facts
- Italy's cultural venues reopen from April 26, 2021, after pandemic closures.
- Welcome to Socotra festival in Milan runs until July 24, 2021.
- Swatch Art Peace Hotel collaborates with Fondazione Feltrinelli for the first edition of Welcome to Socotra.
- Hidden Histories in Rome features decolonial public art interventions until September 30, 2021.
- Magic Lantern Film Festival in Rome runs from June to September 2021.
- Stupinigi Sonic Park is a limited-edition festival with 1,000 seats at Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi.
- Piemonte dal Vivo at Reggia di Venaria runs from July 2 to August 3, 2021.
- Torino Jazz Festival has two editions: June 19-27 and September 27-October 3, 2021.
- Varese Estense Festival runs from June 25 to July 12, 2021.
- Passaggi Festival in Fano runs from June 18 to 25, 2021.
- TRAME Festival in Grosseto runs from June 24 to 27, 2021.
- MAP Festival in Taranto runs from June 18 to 30, 2021.
- Festivals include performances by Calibro 35, Federico Buffa, Marco Paolini, Stefano Massini, Ascanio Celestini, Fabrizio Bosso, Alessandro Quarta, Giovanni Sollima.
- Artists involved: bankleer, Leone Contini, Josèfa Ntjam, Daniela Ortiz, Giulio Scalisi.
- Curators: Sara Alberani, Valerio Del Baglivo, Marta Federici, Diego Borotti, Giorgio Li Calzi, Serena Nardi, Giovanni Belfiori.
- Venues include Fondazione Feltrinelli, MAXXI, Villa Massimo, Terme di Diocleziano, OGR, Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi, Teatro Vittoria, Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi, Reggia di Venaria, Giardini Estensi di Varese.
Entities
Artists
- Calibro 35
- Massimo Martellotta
- Enrico Gabrielli
- Luca Cavina
- Fabio Rondanini
- Tommaso Colliva
- bankleer
- Leone Contini
- Josèfa Ntjam
- Daniela Ortiz
- Giulio Scalisi
- Federico Buffa
- Marco Paolini
- Stefano Massini
- Ascanio Celestini
- Fabrizio Bosso
- Alessandro Quarta
- Giovanni Sollima
- Mario Cucinella
- Stefano Bartezzaghi
- Rainer Kern
- Sara Alberani
- Valerio Del Baglivo
- Marta Federici
- Diego Borotti
- Giorgio Li Calzi
- Serena Nardi
- Giovanni Belfiori
- Fabiano Marti
- Claudia Giraud
Institutions
- Swatch Art Peace Hotel
- Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli
- Fondazione smArt
- MAXXI
- Villa Massimo
- Terme di Diocleziano
- Museo Nazionale Romano
- OGR – Officine Grandi Riparazioni
- Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi
- Teatro Vittoria
- Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi
- Reggia di Venaria
- Fondazione Piemontese per la Ricerca sul Cancro
- Officine Teatrali Red Carpet
- Giorni Dispari Teatro
- Fondazione Cariplo
- Fondazione Comunitaria del Varesotto
- Comune di Varese
- Bcc di Busto Garolfo e Buguggiate
- Passaggi Cultura
- Librerie Coop
- Comune di Fano
- Regione Marche
- CLAN
- Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze
- Comune di Grosseto
- Comune di Taranto
- Artribune
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- Rome
- Nichelino
- Venaria Reale
- Turin
- Varese
- Fano
- Marche
- Grosseto
- Taranto
- Puglia
- Shanghai
- Verbania
- Cuneo
- Biella
- Asti
- Alessandria
- Novara
- Vercelli
- Mannheim
- Germany