Bande de Femmes
The feminist comic and illustration festival in the Pigneto district, Rome
About Bande de Femmes
A comic festival designed by women
Bande de Femmes is the feminist and transfeminist comic and illustration festival held every summer in the Pigneto district, in the city of Rome, capital of the Lazio Region. The initiative was created and continues to be organized by the Tuba feminist bookstore on Via del Pigneto, an independent cultural hub that has served as a reference point for the Roman publishing and activist scene for years. The festival is curated by Marta Capesciotti, Ginevra Cassetta, and Sarah Di Nella.
The name plays on the French expression bande dessinée and perfectly captures the project's intent: to put female authors, cartoonists, and illustrators at the center, giving space to languages and imagery that have long remained on the fringes of mainstream comics. In 2026, the festival reached its thirteenth edition.
Spread exhibitions: the neighborhood as a gallery
The most recognizable feature of Bande de Femmes is its spread exhibitions. Throughout the festival, original plates, prints, and illustrations are not confined to an exhibition hall: they occupy shop windows, bar walls, bookstores, and independent spaces across Pigneto. The result is a walking route that can be explored freely, strolling between Via del Pigneto, Via Braccio da Montone, and the surrounding streets, turning the neighborhood into an open-air gallery.
The opening is traditionally entrusted to the Notte a colori (Night of Colors), the inaugural evening where all exhibitions are presented simultaneously with the artists in attendance: a collective launch involving over twenty authors that has become one of the most popular events of the Roman cultural summer.
Talks, workshops, and meetings
Alongside the exhibitions, the program features an extensive section of meetings, hosted largely in the Via Pesaro space and at the Goffredo Mameli Library. The recurring formats have become recognizable year after year:
- Dialoghi d'autrici (Author Talks) — conversations between two or more cartoonists about their work and creative process;
- Matite fuori dai cardini (Pencils off the hinges) — round tables that amplify feminisms told through comics;
- Sceno/grafiche — a focus on the relationship between drawing, stage, and narrative;
- Chicche antiche (Ancient Treats) — historical insights dedicated to female authors of the past and editorial rediscoveries;
- Talee (Cuttings) — a workshop reserved for emerging artists under 35, with mentoring and portfolio review.
The program is completed by practical workshops (collage, creative writing, drawing for children), live painting performances, readings, stand-up comedy sessions, and moments of participatory creation. Several events are accompanied by LIS (Italian Sign Language) interpretation, a choice of accessibility that is an explicit part of the project.
A festival rooted in the neighborhood
Bande de Femmes is not an event imposed from above: it lives off the social fabric of Pigneto, a historic working-class district in the eastern quadrant of Rome, which is now one of the city's most vibrant hubs for nightlife and culture. Shops, social clubs, neighborhood libraries, and associations participate in the organization and host the works, while the public moves freely between an exhibition and an aperitivo.
Over the years, the festival has received support from the Department of Culture of Rome Capital and was selected as part of the Roma Creativa 365 public notice, a recognition that has consolidated its programming. Participation is free for all events, with reservations recommended only for limited-capacity workshops.
Why it's worth visiting
For those interested in contemporary comics, illustration, and graphic novels, Bande de Femmes offers the opportunity to meet established and emerging authors, both Italian and international, in an informal setting without economic barriers. For those visiting Rome in the summer, it is also a unique way to discover a neighborhood that standard tourist circuits almost never cross.
Bande de Femmes — edition 2026
Bande de Femmes 2026: the thirteenth edition
From June 30 to July 4, 2026, the Pigneto district of Rome hosted the thirteenth edition of Bande de Femmes, organized by the Tuba feminist bookstore and curated by Marta Capesciotti, Ginevra Cassetta, and Sarah Di Nella. The chosen theme was «Blossoms — artists creating new imaginaries».
The guest of honor for this edition was the Spanish illustrator Laura Pérez, an award-winning graphic novel author, who was the protagonist of a meeting with Michela Becchis. Other artists involved included Kalina Muhova, Pat Carra, Martina Sarritzu, Michela Sonno, and Yeiyei Gómez; guests also included the writer Igiaba Scego.
The festival opened on June 30 with the Notte a colori, the simultaneous inauguration of the spread exhibitions set up in shop windows, bars, and independent spaces in the neighborhood, with over twenty artists present. In the following days, the program moved between the Goffredo Mameli Library and the Via Pesaro space.
All events were free of charge, with reservations required for limited-capacity workshops and LIS interpretation provided for numerous meetings.
Programme Bande de Femmes 2026
Tuesday, June 30 — Notte a colori
- Simultaneous inauguration of the spread exhibitions in shop windows, bars, and independent spaces of Pigneto, with over twenty artists present.
Wednesday, July 1 — Blossoms
- Talee workshop at the Goffredo Mameli Library, reserved for emerging artists under 35: coordinated by Kalina Muhova, with Eliana Albertini, Federico Pace, Wally Pain, and Martina Sarritzu.
- Facciamo Rete — networking aperitivo for artists and cultural professionals.
Thursday, July 2
- Continuation of the Blossoms section: portfolio reviews, creative writing workshops, and collage sessions.
Friday, July 3 — Meetings at Via Pesaro
- 3:30 PM — free workshop Manifesta led by Golrokh Nafisi.
- 6:45 PM — Martina Sarritzu and Giulia Selmi in conversation with Sara Marini.
- Following — Michela Becchis meets Spanish illustrator Laura Pérez, special guest of the edition.
Saturday, July 4 — Meetings at Via Pesaro
- Matite fuori dai cardini — round table on feminisms told through comics.
- Sceno/grafiche — panel on drawing, stage, and narrative.
- Dialoghi d'autrici and Chicche antiche, historical insight on female authors of the past.
- Live painting performances, video mapping, readings, and stand-up comedy.
The daily schedule ran from approximately 10:30 AM to 11:30 PM, with variations depending on the day. Numerous meetings were translated into LIS.
Highlights Bande de Femmes 2026
- Notte a colori, the collective inauguration of the spread exhibitions throughout the Pigneto district.
- The meeting with Laura Pérez, Spanish illustrator and graphic novel author, special guest of the edition.
- The Talee workshop for emerging artists under 35 at the Mameli Library.
- The Manifesta workshop by Golrokh Nafisi.
- The Matite fuori dai cardini and Sceno/grafiche round tables.
- Accessibility: LIS interpretation for numerous events.
Prices Bande de Femmes 2026
Practical information — Bande de Femmes
How to get there
The festival takes place in the Pigneto district, east of Rome's city center. By metro: Line C, Pigneto or Malatesta stop. By tram: lines 5, 14, and 19 (Prenestina/Pigneto stop). By bus: lines 105, 412, and 81. By train: from Rome Termini station, you can reach the area in about ten minutes via Metro C from San Giovanni, or via the Roma Pigneto railway station. The neighborhood is served by bike paths and is easily walkable: we recommend leaving your car behind, as parking in the area is very difficult.
Admission and reservations
All events have free admission. For workshops and activities with limited capacity, reservation is required via email at [email protected]. The spread exhibitions can be visited freely during the opening hours of the hosting venues.
Tips
Early July days in Rome are hot: it is best to focus your visit to the exhibitions in the late afternoon and evening, when the neighborhood comes alive. Pigneto is full of pubs, trattorias, and bars for a break between meetings. For accommodation, the area offers B&Bs and apartments at more affordable prices than the historic center, while remaining well-connected.
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Where does it take place — Bande de Femmes
Libreria Tuba e spazi diffusi del Pigneto
Via del Pigneto 39/a, 00176 Roma