Collegno Fòl Fest

A festival in a site synonymous with Italy's history of mental health

The Collegno Fòl Fest is one of the most original cultural events in Piedmont: a festival entirely dedicated to mental health, inclusion, and culture, hosted in the Parco della Certosa Reale in Collegno, near Turin, within the grounds of what was the city's major psychiatric hospital for over a century. It is here, among historic pavilions, cloisters, and gardens, that the famous story of the “Smemorato di Collegno” (the Amnesiac of Collegno) unfolded. Today, this memory-laden past serves as the starting point for an open, accessible, and prejudice-free dialogue about the human mind.

Culture to dismantle stigma

The name Fòl Fest plays on the Italian word for “madness” (follia), reclaiming it with both irony and depth. The goal is to overturn the stigma still surrounding mental distress by bringing mental health out of specialized clinical settings and into the public square, through performances, books, and music. Each edition revolves around a central theme that guides dozens of appointments, blending scientific rigor with the language of art.

A multidisciplinary and widespread program

Every year, the event offers over fifty activities distributed across the Chiostro della Certosa, the Orto che Cura, the Lavanderia a Vapore, the Sala delle Arti, Villa 5, and the University of Turin classrooms. The public can choose from a wide range of offerings:

• Conferences and lectio magistralis with philosophers, psychoanalysts, writers, and public speakers;
• Evening performances of theater, music, and spoken word at the Chiostro della Certosa;
• Exhibitions, installations, and art workshops open to all ages;
• Scientific roundtables curated by ASL TO3 on psychiatry and care;
• Book presentations and a dedicated literary prize.

A community-building network

The Fòl Fest is promoted by the City of Collegno in collaboration with ASL TO3, Arci Valle Susa-Pinerolo, and a vast network of cooperatives, associations, and local entities. It is a grassroots project that sees the active participation of healthcare professionals, mental health service users, volunteers, and citizens. For visitors arriving from Turin or further afield, the festival is also an opportunity to discover an extraordinary piece of Piedmontese heritage, nestled in greenery just minutes from the metro.