Teatri di Vetro Festival Goes Ahead Despite Ministry Funding Rejection
The 19th edition of Teatri di Vetro, a multidisciplinary festival for performing arts, is set to occur at Teatro India in Rome from December 16 to 18, 2025, despite the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC) rejecting its funding request. Established by Roberta Nicolai and managed by Associazione Triangolo Scaleno, the festival received a score of only 8.5 in June 2025, a significant drop from 29, even with a 38% rise in attendance. This led to protests from impacted organizations such as Teatro della Pergola and Santarcangelo Festival. Nicolai's theme, "Colpiti (al cuore), ma non affondati," emphasizes the festival's commitment to artistic exploration. Preview events will occur on December 6-7 and December 11-13, featuring various artists, while the main program will present "performative nuclei and research traces."
Key facts
- Teatri di Vetro festival will hold its 19th edition from December 16-18, 2025, at Teatro India in Rome.
- The festival was denied funding by the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC) in June 2025, scoring only 8.5 points against 29 in the previous triennium.
- Despite a 38% increase in audience attendance, the festival received a low evaluation score.
- The rejection is part of broader MiC funding cuts affecting multiple multidisciplinary festivals and performing arts organizations.
- Other affected entities include Teatro della Pergola, Santarcangelo Festival, Testimonianze Ricerca Azioni di Teatro Akropolis, DA.RE, Conformazioni, and Cirko Vertigo.
- Preview events are scheduled for December 6-7 at Teatro del Lido in Ostia and December 11 and 13 at Spazio Rossellini.
- The main program will feature works-in-progress and research presentations by over 15 artists and collectives.
- Roberta Nicolai stated the festival aims to be a 'stronghold of practices and thought' despite the funding setback.
Entities
Artists
- Roberta Nicolai
- Chiara Frigo
- Teodora Grano
- Sofia Abbati
- Andrea Milano
- Ivan Gasbarrini
- Dehors Audela
- Mara Oscar Cassiani
- Benedetta Pigoni
- Giammarco Pignatiello
- Albert Figurt
- Boris Pimenov
- Fabiana Iacozzilli
- Linda Dalisi
- Lucia Guarino
- Andrea Cosentino
- Celia/Macera
- Bartolini/Baronio
- Paola Bianchi
- Stefano Murgi
- Simona Lobefaro
- Lorenzo Giansante
- Menoventi
- Alessandra Cristiani
- Carullo/Minasi
- Irida Gjergji
- Michael Incarbone
- Operabianco
- Adriana Borriello
Institutions
- Associazione Triangolo Scaleno
- Teatri di Vetro
- Ministero della Cultura (MiC)
- Fondo Nazionale per lo Spettacolo dal Vivo (FNSV)
- Teatro della Pergola
- Teatro India
- Teatro del Lido
- Spazio Rossellini
- Polo Culturale Multidisciplinare della Regione Lazio
- Spartenza Teatro
- Residenze Digitali
- Santarcangelo Festival
- Testimonianze Ricerca Azioni di Teatro Akropolis
- DA.RE
- Conformazioni
- Cirko Vertigo
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Ostia
- Florence
- Santarcangelo
- Sardinia
- Sicily
- Turin