BITart Festival

A festival spread between the square and the castle

The BITart Festival is a performing arts event that brings Bitritto, a town in the Metropolitan City of Bari, in the heart of Puglia, to life every September. For two evenings, the town centre turns into a large open-air stage: Piazza Leone becomes the hub for performances, while the spaces of the Norman-Swabian Castle host animated readings, workshops, and activities for children.

Theatre, dance, music, and street art

The BITart formula is intentionally multidisciplinary: over the course of a single evening, you can experience everything from theatre to dance, live music to juggling, and clowning to street magic. Alongside the stage performances, the festival features photography exhibitions, art workshops, craft stalls, face-painting stations, and games for children and families. It is an event designed to be enjoyed while strolling, stopping from one performance to the next, in a festive atmosphere that engages both young and old.

The signature of the Compagnia Teatrale Reforma

The festival is conceived, directed, and organised by the Compagnia Teatrale Reforma, an artistic and cultural entity rooted in Bitritto that stages its own productions and involves local schools, dance academies, and associations. This influence is reflected in the quality of the original productions and the ability to network with the local community, giving space to young performers, musicians, and students from local training centres.

A free festival for everyone

One of the hallmarks of the BITart Festival is free admission: all evenings are free to attend, making art accessible to everyone. There is also a focus on social issues, with fundraising initiatives supporting organisations like UNICEF. In an Apulian calendar rich in food festivals and patron saint feasts, BITart carves out an original space, focusing on contemporary creativity and high-quality live performance.

Setting and territory

Bitritto, just a few kilometres from Bari, offers the festival an intimate and evocative setting, dominated by the silhouette of its medieval castle. Held in September, at the beginning of autumn, BITart is a key cultural reference point for the town and for visitors to the Apulian capital looking for authentic, community-focused events.