10 cultural festivals not to miss this summer across Italy

Cultural festivals are at their best in the summer season, when the arts can be enjoyed outdoors, amid the alleyways, squares and natural landscapes of the places that host them. The bond between a location and what is performed there is often at the root of these events' success, and increasingly it gives rise to valuable dialogues and connections. Spanning photography, music, theatre, cinema and every other form of expression, we travel the length of the country – with one brief foray across the border – to bring you a selection of festivals, some well known and some less so, that we recommend attending to make the coming summer a pleasurable opportunity to nurture your passions.

Festa di Teatro Eco Logico, from 29 June to 8 July 2024 – Stromboli (Messina)

This tenth edition of an event that is more than a festival – almost a community manifesto. The Festa di teatro eco logico was conceived as an opportunity for encounter and celebration: an encounter between artists working in theatre, music and dance and scholars and experts from various fields, and an opportunity for these figures to meet their audience, all gathered on the island of Stromboli to celebrate a theme chosen for each edition – this year What dreams may come – over 10 days of events with no use of electric power for lighting or amplification. The Festa is an island of acoustic decontamination, an opportunity to restore the human being to the centre of live performance, an occasion for saving energy, and a special chance to visit and discover Stromboli in a perhaps unusual way. By following the events on the Festa's programme, it is possible to visit places and vistas not always accessible: not only natural settings such as caves, beaches, rocks and hillsides, or public spaces such as a church forecourt, the main square or the landing jetties, but also private homes and terraces that open their doors to the Festa and to those who take part in it. Among the theatrical performances, readings and talks, we also highlight "Dialogo sul clima" by Paolo Saraceno. All events are free of charge.

L'isola delle storie, from 4 to 7 July 2024 – Gavoi (Nuoro)

In the other Sardinia – the authentic, ancestral hinterland – the literary festival L'isola delle storie returns after a two-year break. It is an appointment, but also an opportunity – especially for those holidaying on the island – to venture beyond the busy, well-known coastlines and instead head into the heart of the territory, rich in stories and traditions. And there will be no shortage of stories, even if told across just four but intense days of conversations about books and writing. An event with a focus on literature that will also offer moments of music and readings. Among the afternoon programme highlights, we draw attention to poet and writer Guido Catalano, who will bring his unmistakeable style to the Gavoi stage with "Cosa fanno le femmine in bagno", his latest book, and Marco Presta – co-host of one of Rai Radio2's best-loved programmes, Il ruggito del coniglio – with "Verso l'abisso fischiettando", both appearing in the first two days. On Sunday 7, the festival pays tribute to writer Michela Murgia, a great friend of L'isola delle storie, through readings of selected passages from her book "Ricordatemi come vi pare". All events, held amid the alleyways and small squares of a village that seems to exist outside of time, are free of charge.

Ulisse fest, from 4 to 7 July 2024 – Ancona

For those who love travelling in the broadest sense — not just physically — this is the seventh edition of Ulisse fest – described as the festival of travel – a 4-day event organised by Lonely Planet and its Italian publishing house EDT. The festival is an opportunity to look beyond one's own boundaries, not only geographical ones, to reflect on the world and to connect with everything that exists beyond the horizon of daily life. Within this framework, one can move seamlessly from a travel account to a photography exhibition, from a concert to a first-hand testimony. The places described span the entire world and are seen in the most varied ways: some have travelled Europe on foot, others have done the same by wheelchair or by bicycle. There is also space for more specific sessions for those who wish to turn their passion for travel into a career and want to learn the techniques to do so with competence and achieve concrete results. Only a few events are ticketed; to consult the full programme, here.

Santarcangelo festival, 5–14 July 2024 – Santarcangelo di Romagna (Rimini)

It would be reductive to describe the Santarcangelo festival as a theatre showcase: anyone who has experienced it knows that, over 10 days, through the eyes of 30 Italian and international companies, more than 170 performance proposals, 9 DJ sets and 6 public talks, the medieval village is transformed into a "festival-city", with the performing arts (all of them) fulfilling an important function of dialogue with today's social and political reality. The shows often surprise, spark debate and pose questions — which is exactly what art is meant to do: as the this year's programme states, what all the proposals share is an interest in the relationships that arise at the boundary between the performing arts and social change, highlighting the overlapping of temporal and spatial planes. Coming here means stepping inside something different and emerging perhaps confused and full of questions, but certainly enriched. Santarcangelo is a delightful place and has been the right home for this festival for many years — it is also an opportunity to savour a perfect microcosm full of beauty. Between one performance and the next, don't miss the free evening dances of the after-festival, called Imbosco, at the foot of Parco Cappuccini, beside the river Uso in a circus tent hidden among the trees. The programme includes both free and ticketed shows; all the information is here

Cortona on the move, 11 July – 3 November 2024 – Cortona (Arezzo)

Since its founding in 2011, the international photography festival Cortona on the move has placed documentary storytelling at the heart of its interest, focusing on contemporary and socially relevant themes. It is now a fixture in the Italian photography landscape and beyond, and those who come to Cortona can be certain of returning home with a snapshot of current affairs — one that is often capable of anticipating what current affairs will become. No small feat. This is because photography now represents the most universal medium for telling the story of the world we live in, and Cortona on the move aims to make it accessible and comprehensible to the general public. A further advantage of this event is its duration: the exhibitions can in fact be visited until November, even though the highlight is clearly the opening period. And then there are the splendid locations: during the festival, events and photography exhibitions animate the medieval village of Cortona, drawing out the value of its artistic heritage — from the Fortezza del Girifalco, a fortified structure of Medici origin that towers over Cortona, to historic palaces and evocative open spaces.
With each edition, Cortona on the move pursues a research strand on the evolution of photographic language and places ever greater emphasis on the production and creation of original, previously unseen content: for 2024, the theme — even if calling it that is an understatement — is Body of evidence. The body, then, in every possible expression. Admission to the festival costs €18; information here.

Nextones, 18–21 July 2024 – Oira (Verbania)

Nextones is an international festival of music, audiovisual arts and research. The festival takes place in the evocative landscape of the Val d'Ossola, with Tones teatro natura as its central hub and venue. The 2024 edition features site-specific performances and major audio/video shows by some of the most interesting artists and researchers on the contemporary scene. Nextones is part of the summer season of Tones teatro natura: this is a new project by Tones on the Stones which, through a process of environmental regeneration, transforms a disused quarry into a theatre immersed in nature — a space dedicated not only to live performance but also to the wellbeing and care of people and to the enhancement of the natural heritage. An open gateway to the world to foster the exchange of ideas, projects and inclusive, courageous visions. The former Cava Gneiss, now transformed, is located at Oira, a small hamlet in the municipality of Crevoladossola, among woodlands, terraced vineyards and ancient stone villages of the Val d'Ossola. Another festival venue is the Orridi di Uriezzo, also known as "the Grand Canyon of Piedmont" — a series of gorges carved into granite by the torrents that once flowed downstream from the Toce glacier. All events are ticketed; full information here under the tickets section.

Lago film fest, 19–27 July 2024 – Revine Lago (Treviso)

A captivating location. We are in Veneto, at Revine Lago, which for nine days — from the first morning dip to the dead of night — offers a selection of wonderful films from around the world, screened under the stars on three lakeside screens. A programme of surprising talks, workshops for adults and children, concerts, performances, installations, exhibitions and a food area serving zero-kilometre produce. Plenty of cinema — the kind defined as independent — but not only. After all, Revine Lago is the European Capital of independent cinema. Lago film fest is now a fixture; this year marks its 20th anniversary and, as in previous editions, it will bring the future of cinema into focus through the magnifying glass of the short film — a format perhaps too often overlooked by the mainstream. Those who have taken part (artists and audiences alike) speak of a unique experience that absolutely must be lived, above all for the close bond between the territory and all the arts on show. Screenings and other activities are ticketed but the pricing options are within everyone's reach; all the information is here.