Calandra National Theatre Award

A theatre festival born in Tuglie

The Calandra National Theatre Award is one of the longest-running and most vibrant theatre events in Salento. Conceived and organised by the Compagnia Teatrale Culturale Calandra, a historic association based in Tuglie (Province of Lecce, Apulia), the festival brings a selection of performances by companies from across Italy to open-air stages every summer. With nearly twenty years of history, the Calandra Award has established itself as one of the most consolidated cultural initiatives in Southern Italy.

A travelling festival across Salento's towns

The unique feature of the Calandra Award is its travelling nature: the evenings are distributed among several Salento towns, typically Tuglie, Collepasso, and Muro Leccese. In Tuglie, performances take place in Piazza Garibaldi, the heart of the town, while in other locations, the festival enlivens historic squares and courtyards such as the Palazzo Baronale in Collepasso and Piazza del Popolo in Muro Leccese. Admission is traditionally free, and events are held in the evening, encouraging participation from families, enthusiasts, and tourists vacationing in Salento.

Competition and jury

The Calandra Award is a national theatre competition in every respect: participating companies are evaluated by a technical jury composed of experts, cultural operators, and theatre critics, who award prizes for the best production and individual honours at the end of the festival, including a memorial tribute dedicated to figures dear to the company. The repertoire ranges from brilliant comedy to dramatic monologues, and from auteur theatre to reinterpretations of classics, offering the public a diverse and high-quality programme.

The bond with the territory

Organised under the patronage of the involved municipalities and the Italian Federation of Amateur Theatre (FITA), the Calandra Award represents an important cultural landmark for Tuglie and the entire lower Salento area. The festival promotes amateur and experimental theatre, provides a platform for emerging companies, and keeps alive a tradition that unites diverse communities around a passion for the stage. For the public, it is an opportunity to experience Apulian summer evenings filled with laughter, emotion, and reflection under the sky of Salento's squares.