Assedio - Countercultures and Public Space
Three days of independent publishing, urban art, and countercultures in Modena
About Assedio
A creative siege on public space
In the heart of Modena, in Emilia-Romagna, Assedio - Countercultures and Public Space has become, in just a few editions, the reference event for those who live independent urban cultures. Curated by URBANER - Culture Urbane Emilia-Romagna and produced by the Cultural Association Mo' Better Football APS, with the patronage of the Municipality of Modena and the support of the Fondazione di Modena, the festival is entirely free to enter.
Independent publishing and self-productions
The heart of Assedio is the independent publishing fair: over fifty Italian and international exhibitors present self-productions, fanzines, books, magazines, and publishing projects born outside commercial circuits. It's a rare opportunity to discover off-the-beaten-path publishing houses, collectives, and self-managed realities that tell the story of the city and its contradictions with their own languages.
Urban art, music, and countercultures
An universe of languages revolves around the publishing stands: graffiti writing and muralism, ultras culture, skateboarding, tattoos, and a music lineup ranging from hardcore, punk, hip-hop, to electronic. Talks, presentations, and workshops address the themes of public space transformation, self-organization, and grassroots practices, while concerts and DJ sets accompany the evenings.
The venues: La Tenda and the San Paolo Complex
The event is spread across two symbolic locations of Modena's cultural scene: La Tenda, on Viale Monte Kosica, which hosts the opening evening with presentations and concerts, and the San Paolo Complex on Via Francesco Selmi, with the evocative Cortile del Leccio (Holm Oak Courtyard) hosting the fair, exhibitions, meetings, and workshops. A journey through the center of Modena, reinterpreting its spaces.
A story that starts from the grassroots
Born in 2023 following the experience of the Unlock Book Fair, Assedio has grown edition after edition to become a meeting point for communities that often struggle to communicate: collectives, artists, structured and independent organizations gather here to build a public moment of synthesis and new relationships. It is a festival that speaks to those seeking free, militant, and unconventional culture in Modena and throughout Emilia-Romagna.
Assedio — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of Assedio - Countercultures and Public Space confirmed the three-day format, from June 5 to 7, between the festival's two historic venues in Modena. The opening evening at La Tenda kicked off with publishing presentations and hardcore concerts, while the weekend at the San Paolo Complex, in the Cortile del Leccio, hosted the independent publishing fair with over fifty Italian and international exhibitors, along with exhibitions, meetings, and workshops.
Curated by URBANER and produced by Mo' Better Football APS, with the patronage of the Municipality of Modena and the support of the Fondazione di Modena, the event intertwined alternative publishing, graffiti, ultras culture, skateboarding, tattoos, and a music lineup spanning punk, hip-hop, and electronic music.
Programme Assedio 2026
Friday, June 5 — La Tenda (Viale Monte Kosica)
- 6:30 PM — Book presentation "Ultras Antifa. Cronache di Assedio numero 2" with Elia Mazzotti Gentili, Valerio Moggia, and Stefano Manfredi
- 8:00 PM — Presentation "Con il pallone tra i piedi e la musica a cannone" with Nicolò Rondinelli and Andrea Vecchio
- 9:30 PM — Hardcore concerts: Bobson Dugnutt (Bologna) + By All Means (Modena)
Saturday, June 6 — San Paolo Complex, Cortile del Leccio (Via Selmi 67)
- 10:00 AM — Workshop Keffiyeh Project (contribution €20, max 25 participants, registration [email protected])
- 4:00 PM — Opening of the independent publishing fair with over 50 exhibitors
- 4:30 PM — Live corner of the podcast Piede di Porco
- 5:30 PM — Talk on autonomous urban practices by A5 Press with Adam
- 8:00 PM — DJ set by Togo Events (Schenna, Ceen, Daddario), until midnight
Sunday, June 7 — San Paolo Complex
- 11:00 AM — Independent publishing fair continues
- 5:00 PM — Presentation "La Scintilla siamo noi" on the 40 years of the Circolo Libertario La Scintilla
- 6:30 PM — Presentation of "We Are Punks" Volume II, with the authors interviewed by Hilde Merini
- Following — Closing party with Radio Antenna 1
Among the exhibitors: A Normal Tourist, Agonia Latente, Andrea Ceresa, BBS+Piede di Porco, Black Hand, Blocal Travel Press, Folk Devil, I Vandalotti, Mad About Rails, Mo' Better Football, NUDE, Press Press, Urbanario Books, and many others.
Highlights Assedio 2026
- Independent publishing fair with over 50 Italian and international exhibitors
- Hardcore concerts at La Tenda: Bobson Dugnutt and By All Means
- Keffiyeh Project workshop in support of Palestine
- Presentation "We Are Punks" Volume II and "La Scintilla siamo noi"
- Togo Events DJ set and closing party with Radio Antenna 1
Prices Assedio 2026
Practical information — Assedio
How to get here
The San Paolo Complex is located at Via Francesco Selmi 67, in the historic center of Modena, reachable on foot from the train station in about 15 minutes. La Tenda is on Viale Monte Kosica, also close to the center. By car, take the Modena Nord exit from the A1 highway and use the city center parking lots.
Admission and hours
Free admission to all events. The opening evening at La Tenda starts in the late afternoon; the days at the San Paolo Complex run from Saturday afternoon until evening and Sunday from the morning.
Workshops by reservation
Some workshops require a contribution and have limited places, with registration via email to [email protected].
Information
Full program at assedio.urbaner.it. Contacts: [email protected].
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Where does it take place — Assedio
Complesso San Paolo / La Tenda
Via Francesco Selmi 67, 41124 Modena