A P È R T O Festival

An open festival in the heart of Novara

A P È R T O is the event that brings Spazio nòva to life every May. This cultural center, born from the regeneration of the former Caserma Passalacqua on Viale Francesco Ferrucci in Novara, sits in the heart of Piedmont. Promoted by the social promotion association nòva, the festival was established in 2024 as a platform dedicated to contemporary art, music, and collective participation, exploring a plurality of expressive languages.

Three days of creative immersion

More than a traditional lineup, A P È R T O is designed as a fluid experience: a suspended time where you can let yourself be carried away by installations, performances, workshops, concerts, and dialogues. The halls, courtyards, and outdoor spaces of the former barracks transform into stages for site-specific works, exhibitions, itinerant performances, and shared labs, fostering a constant dialogue between established artists, emerging projects, and the public.

Art, dance, music, and workshops

The program brings together many souls of the contemporary scene: visual arts, dance, theater, electronic, and live music. Each edition involves dozens of artists, collectives, and bands, alongside practical workshops—from embroidery to printing, botanical forms to collaborative creation—designed for audiences of all ages. Experiences are spread throughout the day, from early morning until late at night.

• Installations and exhibitions by local and national artists
• Performances of contemporary dance and theater
• Concerts and electronic music sets
• Workshops and participatory labs (booking required)
• Street market and social gatherings

A project of regeneration and sustainability

A P È R T O is part of nòva's annual cultural programming and is realized within the MAPS – Artistic Meteors for Sustainability project, supported by the Interreg VI-A Italy-Switzerland 2021-2027 cooperation program and the Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, under the Participatory Festivals line. The festival thus serves as a key piece of the broader urban regeneration path that has returned a decommissioned military space to the city of Novara, now vibrant with culture.

An event for the city and the territory

With its free admission, A P È R T O has become a highly anticipated spring appointment in Novara, capable of attracting hundreds of visitors and intertwining art and community. It is an opportunity to discover the contemporary art scene, participate actively, and experience one of the symbolic places of the Piedmontese city's cultural rebirth.