Castellana Grotte Art Festival
Urban art and youth creativity at Villa Comunale Tacconi
About Castellana Art Festival
The Castellana Grotte Art Festival
The Castellana Grotte Art Festival is a celebration of youth creativity and urban art that enlivens Castellana Grotte every year—a town in the Murgia area of the province of Bari, world-famous for its Grotte di Castellana. Originally an evolution of the historic Art Day, the festival has expanded its scope to become an event capable of turning Villa Comunale Tacconi and the town center into a massive open-air laboratory.
Music, colors, sports, and street art
The heart of the event is an accessible, direct, and inclusive artistic language. On stage and along the paths of the municipal park, live music, dance, acting, drawing, photography, sports, and DJ sets alternate, while walls and public spaces take on new life thanks to street art interventions. The stated goal is to showcase the expression of young people and regenerate urban spaces, returning them to the community in a colorful and participatory way.
A choral community project
What makes the Art Festival special is its choral nature: the event involves schools, students, artists, and dozens of volunteers in a cultural project that weaves together education, social interaction, and creativity. The Art Day from which the festival originated has grown over the years to attract thousands of visitors, with the participation of numerous artists and writers, including the acclaimed Astro, a special guest of recent editions with his urban art interventions.
Part of Piazze d'Estate
The Castellana Grotte Art Festival is part of the Piazze d'Estate calendar, the rich summer program promoted by the Municipality of Castellana Grotte together with Grotte di Castellana srl and Multiservizi spa. From June to September, Piazze d'Estate offers dozens of free events including concerts, shows, art, culture, food and wine, tradition, dance, and sports, of which the Art Festival represents one of the most iconic and anticipated moments.
Castellana Grotte, between the Murgia and the sea
Located in the Bari hinterland, just a few kilometers from the Itria Valley and the Adriatic coast, Castellana Grotte offers Art Festival visitors the chance to discover an authentic Puglia village, with its historic center, folk traditions, and, of course, the famous karst complex of the Grotte di Castellana. Participating in the festival means experiencing the city in its most vibrant season, when art leaves conventional spaces and conquers squares, streets, and public gardens.
Castellana Art Festival — edition 2026
The 2026 Castellana Grotte Art Festival inaugurated the city's summer season with the Art Day on June 3rd and 4th, transforming Villa Comunale Tacconi into a widespread stage for youth creativity. Live music, dance, acting, drawing, photography, sports, and DJ sets intertwined with urban art interventions signed by writers and artists, in an event designed to showcase local talent and regenerate public spaces. The event, with free admission, kicked off the broader Piazze d'Estate program, which enlivened Castellana Grotte until September.
Programme Castellana Art Festival 2026
Art Day — June 3-4, 2026
The two-day opening event in Villa Comunale Tacconi brought together the various souls of the festival:
- Street art — live interventions by writers and urban artists, with the participation of Astro;
- Music and DJ sets — live performances and musical selections throughout the evenings;
- Dance and performance — shows and choreographies with local schools and groups;
- Photography and drawing — exhibitions and creative workshops;
- Sports — activities and demonstrations dedicated to young people.
The event involved schools, students, artists, and volunteers, confirming the participatory and youthful vocation of the event.
Highlights Castellana Art Festival 2026
Prices Castellana Art Festival 2026
Practical information — Castellana Art Festival
Location
Villa Comunale Tacconi and town center, Castellana Grotte (BA), 70013 — Province of Bari, Puglia.
When
During the summer, as part of the Piazze d'Estate program. The opening day is usually held in early June.
Admission
All events are free and open to the public.
How to get there
Castellana Grotte can be reached by car via the SS100 Bari-Taranto and the SP237. The city is served by the Ferrovie del Sud Est train station on the Bari-Putignano line.
Contacts and updates
The program and schedule are published on the festival's social media channels (Instagram and Facebook) and on the Piazze d'Estate portal of the Municipality of Castellana Grotte.
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Where does it take place — Castellana Art Festival
Villa Comunale Tacconi