ARF! Rome Comics Festival
The Capital's Festival of Stories, Signs & Drawings
About ARF! Festival
Comics at the heart of Rome
ARF! Rome Comics Festival is the event that, since 2015, has restored a major celebration entirely dedicated to the ninth art to the Capital. The subtitle chosen by the organizers, «Festival of Stories, Signs & Drawings», perfectly captures the spirit of the event: it is not just about comics and graphic novels, but everything revolving around visual storytelling, from cinema to music, illustration, and editorial design. Promoted by Roma Capitale and supported by Zètema, the festival took root in Municipio Roma I and the Testaccio district before expanding to other areas of the city.
A festival that grew with its city
The first editions were held between the Città dell'Altra Economia and the industrial spaces of the former Mattatoio, now converted into cultural centers. Year after year, ARF! has expanded its offerings: original art exhibitions, book signings, meetings with great masters, free concerts, and professional programming for those looking to enter the industry. Today, the festival is considered, alongside the events in Lucca and Naples, one of the most important appointments in the Italian comic book scene, and the only one of this scale in the Lazio region.
The historic sections
- La SELF® di ARF! — the area dedicated to self-publishing and independent micro-press, featuring dozens of publishing entities exhibiting and selling their works directly. It has become one of the largest self-publishing areas ever set up at an Italian event.
- ARF! Kids — non-stop creative workshops, read-aloud sessions, drawing activities, and specialized children's bookstores: the section designed for families and younger readers.
- JOB ARF! — the format dedicated to training and professional orientation, featuring interviews with publishing houses and masterclasses held by academies and schools of comics and illustration.
- Exhibitions — every edition features exhibitions of original art dedicated to Italian and foreign authors, often created in collaboration with publishers and cultural institutions.
- Lectio magistralis and talks — meetings with masters of international comics, editorial presentations, and debates on contemporary languages.
The widespread edition
In 2026, ARF! reinvented itself: the twelfth edition abandoned the format concentrated in a single weekend to become a widespread festival in time and space, distributed over three weekends and three Roman districts — Parione, Testaccio, and Garbatella, in Municipio Roma VIII. A choice that connects different places, audiences, and languages, bringing comics into very diverse spaces: a cultural institute in the historic center, the open-air spaces of the Campo Boario, and the social and cultural centers of a 20th-century working-class neighborhood.
Why it's worth visiting
ARF! is a festival with a deliberately accessible character: admission is free for all activities, with reservations required only where capacity is limited. It is a rare opportunity to meet artists up close, browse independent productions that rarely reach bookstores, and discover neighborhoods of Rome far from the most beaten tourist paths. For those visiting the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital in spring, it is one of the most authentic ways to see the city from the perspective of those who live there and tell its stories through images.
ARF! Festival — edition 2026
An edition distributed across three districts
For its twelfth edition, ARF! chose to step out of the traditional format and traverse Rome with three consecutive stages, from May 14th to 31st, 2026. Each weekend has its own identity: exhibition-focused in the historic center, popular and musical in Testaccio, independent and professional in Garbatella.
Parione — from May 14th
The edition opened at the Sala Dalí of the Instituto Cervantes with the exhibition Mafalda & La Pimpa, inaugurated in the presence of the master Altan. The exhibition, which brings together two of the most beloved figures of children's comics, remained open well beyond the festival, until July 11th, 2026.
Testaccio — May 22nd, 23rd, and 24th
The second weekend took place at the Campo Boario, with Caparezza as the great protagonist: the Orbit Orbit exhibition, created with Sergio Bonelli Editore, a talk show in four acts (Friday 22nd, 8 PM), and an additional meeting at the Villaggio Globale. Alongside this, the ARF! Kids section featured twenty-two free creative workshops, readings, drawing sessions, and specialized children's bookstores, the ARF! Bookshop, and a two-day intensive manga workshop created with KOKORO. During the weekend, the magazine La Fine del Mondo was also presented with the deputy director of Il Manifesto, Micaela Bongi.
Garbatella — May 29th, 30th, and 31st
The final stage, in Municipio Roma VIII, brought the more workshop-oriented and professional dimension of the festival to three locations in the district. At Casetta Rossa (via G. B. Magnaghi 14), La SELF® di ARF! was held, the independent comics festival with over fifty Italian self-publishing and micro-press entities. At Villetta Social Lab (via degli Armatori 3), the 100% Viscosa exhibition by Collettivo Viscosa. At the Hub Culturale Moby Dick (via Edgardo Ferrati 3a), the JOB ARF! format took place, with interviews with publishing houses and free mastertalks curated by RUFA, IED, Pencil Art, and other academies. Evening talks addressed independent comics, the legacy of historic strips, digital media, and creative activism.
Programme ARF! Festival 2026
Parione — from Thursday, May 14th
- Instituto Cervantes, Sala Dalí: Mafalda & La Pimpa exhibition, inauguration with Altan; open until July 11th, 2026
Testaccio, Campo Boario — Friday 22nd, Saturday 23rd, and Sunday 24th May
- Orbit Orbit exhibition by Caparezza, in collaboration with Sergio Bonelli Editore
- Friday 22nd, 8 PM: Caparezza talk show in four acts
- Meeting with Caparezza at Villaggio Globale
- Saturday 23rd: presentation of the magazine La Fine del Mondo with the authors and Micaela Bongi (Il Manifesto)
- ARF! Kids: 22 free creative workshops, readings, drawing, bookstores for children
- Two-day intensive manga workshop with KOKORO
- ARF! Bookshop
Garbatella — Friday 29th, Saturday 30th, and Sunday 31st May
- Casetta Rossa, via G. B. Magnaghi 14 (Friday and Saturday 4 PM - midnight, Sunday 4 PM - 8 PM): La SELF® di ARF! with over 50 self-publishing and micro-press entities; evening talks
- Villetta Social Lab, via degli Armatori 3 (every day 4 PM - 8 PM): 100% Viscosa exhibition by Collettivo Viscosa
- Hub Culturale Moby Dick, via Edgardo Ferrati 3a (Friday and Saturday 10 AM - 7 PM, Sunday closed): JOB ARF! — interviews with publishing houses and mastertalks with RUFA, IED, Pencil Art, and other academies
Highlights ARF! Festival 2026
- Unique format: a festival spread over three weekends and three Roman districts
- Mafalda & La Pimpa exhibition inaugurated by Altan at the Instituto Cervantes
- Caparezza as the protagonist in Testaccio with the Orbit Orbit exhibition and a four-act talk show
- Over 50 exhibitors in the SELF® area dedicated to independent publishing
- 22 free workshops for children in the ARF! Kids section
- JOB ARF!: interviews with publishers and masterclasses for those wanting to work in comics
Prices ARF! Festival 2026
Practical information — ARF! Festival
How to get there
Testaccio is served by the Piramide station (Metro Line B) and the Roma-Lido railway; the Campo Boario can be reached on foot in about ten minutes. The Garbatella district has its own stop on Metro B. The historic center (Parione district, Piazza Navona area) is reachable by numerous bus lines. Those arriving by plane land at Fiumicino or Ciampino, both connected to the city by trains and shuttles.
Admission and reservations
All activities are free of charge. For some meetings, workshops, and masterclasses, online booking is required and recommended in advance as spots fill up quickly.
Tips
Bring cash for purchases in the self-publishing area, where not all exhibitors accept electronic payments. The month of May is ideal for visiting Rome: mild temperatures and long days. For general tourist information, the number 060608 is active.
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Where does it take place — ARF! Festival
Edizione diffusa: Parione, Testaccio (Campo Boario), Garbatella
Campo Boario, Testaccio, 00186 Roma