Agorà Design

Agorà Design, the hub of design in Martano

Agorà Design is an international design and architecture festival held in Martano, in the heart of Grecìa Salentina, in the province of Lecce, Puglia. Held biennially, the event is promoted by the Radio Salentina cooperative and is built around an international competition that focuses on a specific theme of contemporary design each edition, gathering professionals, creatives, artisans, companies, and students from all over Italy and abroad.

The international competition

The heart of the festival is the competition, divided into two sections: Living (design solutions for living spaces) and Garden (landscape and environmental projects), open to both professionals and students. The finalist projects, selected from over one hundred and fifty entries, are showcased in a major exhibition and awarded by a jury of nationally and internationally renowned designers, architects, and critics.

Historic venues

The festival unfolds in the most evocative spots of the village: the Aragonese Castle, the Baronial Palace, and the Ducal Palace become spaces for research, discussion, and creativity for a few days, hosting a dense program of talks, masterclasses, and workshops. The exhibitions are complemented by meetings with companies and dialogue sessions open to the public.

A widespread festival

Alongside the competition, Agorà Design offers the Agorà Design Off section, which hosts exhibitions and projects inside and outside the Ducal Palace with diverse expressive languages, and Agorà Design Kids, dedicated to children and schools, featuring workshops and reflections on the meaning of design. The result is an event that weaves together high design culture and the active participation of the Martano community.

The 2026 edition

As this is a biennial event, the last edition took place in October 2025 with the theme "The Necessary Project". At the moment, the dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been announced: the next edition of the competition is expected in 2027, but we recommend following the festival's official channels for any updates on the calendar.