Coconino Fest
Festival of author comics at the MAR in Ravenna
About Coconino Fest
The author comics festival of Ravenna
Coconino Fest is the major exhibition dedicated to author comics and contemporary graphic novels that animates Ravenna, a city of art in the Province of Ravenna, in Emilia-Romagna, every year. Promoted by the publishing house Coconino Press together with the Municipality of Ravenna and the MAR - Museum of Art of the City, the festival has become in a few years one of the most anticipated events in the Italian comics scene, capable of attracting cartoonists, illustrators, writers, and musicians from all over the world to the city.
Comics in dialogue with other arts
The distinctive feature of Coconino Fest is its cross-pollination: comics are not presented as an isolated medium but are placed in relation to music, literature, theatre, and visual arts. The MAR's halls host exhibitions of original artwork, while talks with authors, presentations, readings, concerts, DJ sets, and live performances take place in various city spaces. It is an immersive experience that allows the public to enter the creative process of the great masters of so-called 'author comics'.
The festival venues in Ravenna
The heart of the event is the MAR - Museum of Art of the City of Ravenna, located on Via di Roma, which hosts the main exhibitions and most of the evening talks. However, the festival extends to other locations in the city, including the Classense Library, the Artificerie Almagià, and the Byron and Risorgimento Museums, creating a widespread itinerary that invites visitors to discover Ravenna's cultural heritage.
A festival with an eye on the present
Each edition of Coconino Fest revolves around a keyword that sets the tone for the entire program, intertwining comics with major current issues: from civil rights to freedom of expression, from historical memory to new generations of artists. Alongside public events, the festival also promotes training, with masterclasses, workshops, and a dedicated school for young authors. For lovers of graphic novels and contemporary visual culture, Coconino Fest is an unmissable stop on the Emilia-Romagna events calendar.
Coconino Fest — edition 2026
Coconino Fest 2026 - 'Rebels'
The fifth edition of Coconino Fest took place in Ravenna from May 29 to June 2, 2026, with the MAR - Museum of Art of the City as the main venue. The chosen theme, 'Rebels', interpreted rebellion as a tool to defend democracy and people's rights, to say no to wars and authoritarian impulses, using comics as a vehicle for reflection and critical thinking.
The MAR hosted exhibitions of original artwork by David Prudhomme (with his Rebetiko), Olivier Schrauwen, Luz, Miguel Vila, and the Japanese mangaka Yamamoto Miki, while the Lebanese artist Mazen Kerbaj was hosted at the Classense Library.
Music, theatre, and major guests
Among the most anticipated events were the dialogue between Vinicio Capossela and David Prudhomme on Rebetiko and the tribute to Miles Davis by trumpeter Paolo Fresu with cartoonist Paolo Parisi. The preview on May 29 at Artificerie Almagià featured the show 'Storia del nuovo cognome. L'amica geniale a fumetti' (The Story of the New Surname. My Brilliant Friend in Comics), with Chiara Lagani, Fiorenza Menni, and illustrations by Mara Cerri. A novelty of this edition was the first Coconino Spring School, a week of lessons and workshops for young authors that concluded at the Byron and Risorgimento Museums.
Programme Coconino Fest 2026
2026 Program 'Rebels'
- Friday, May 29 - Artificerie Almagià, 9 PM: preview with the show 'Storia del nuovo cognome. L'amica geniale a fumetti' (Chiara Lagani, Fiorenza Menni, illustrations by Mara Cerri).
- Saturday, May 30 - MAR: inauguration of the 'Rebels' exhibitions (Prudhomme, Schrauwen, Luz, Vila, Yamamoto Miki); talk 'Art Demands Freedom'; remembrance of Andrea Pazienza with DJ set and live painting.
- Sunday, May 31 - MAR: talks with Miguel Vila and Yamamoto Miki; tribute to Miles Davis with Paolo Fresu and Paolo Parisi; musical reading by Mazen Kerbaj.
- Monday, June 1 - Classense Library: opening of Mazen Kerbaj's exhibition; MAR: talks with ZUZU and Olivier Schrauwen; concert by Vinicio Capossela and David Prudhomme on Rebetiko.
- Tuesday, June 2 - Byron and Risorgimento Museums: exhibition of works from the Coconino Spring School.
Highlights Coconino Fest 2026
- Theme 'Rebels': comics, democracy, and rights
- Exhibitions by David Prudhomme, Olivier Schrauwen, Luz, Miguel Vila, and Yamamoto Miki at the MAR
- Mazen Kerbaj at the Classense Library
- Vinicio Capossela and David Prudhomme on Rebetiko
- Tribute to Miles Davis with Paolo Fresu and Paolo Parisi
- First edition of the Coconino Spring School for young authors
Prices Coconino Fest 2026
Practical information — Coconino Fest
Where it takes place
The main venue for Coconino Fest is the MAR - Museum of Art of the City of Ravenna, located at Via di Roma 13. Other festival venues include the Classense Library, the Artificerie Almagià, and the Byron and Risorgimento Museums, all in the center of Ravenna.
How to get there
Ravenna is reachable by train, with the railway station just a few minutes' walk from the MAR and the historic center. By car, the city is served by the A14 motorway (Ravenna exit) and the Adriatic state road. The center is easily walkable.
Tickets and times
Admission to the MAR exhibitions is subject to the museum ticket (full price 8 euros, reduced 6 euros); many festival talks, discussions, and performances are free admission until capacity is reached. It is advisable to check the times and access procedures on the official channels of the festival and the MAR.
Information
MAR - Museum of Art of the City of Ravenna, phone +39 0544 482477, email [email protected]. Full program at coconinopress.it.
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Where does it take place — Coconino Fest
MAR - Museo d'Arte della Città di Ravenna
Via di Roma 13, 48121 Ravenna