CulturaraEstate

A widespread summer of culture in Calderara di Reno

CulturaraEstate is the major summer review of the Municipality of Calderara di Reno, in the heart of the plain of the metropolitan city of Bologna, in Emilia-Romagna. From May to September, the program enlivens the main town and the hamlets of Lippo, Longara, and Sacerno with dozens of events ranging from visual arts to music, from cinema to dance, from theatre to meetings, and nature walks in the area. It is a widespread program that transforms squares, parks, churches, and gardens into open-air stages.

The heart: the Italo Calvino House of Culture

The focal point of the review is the Italo Calvino House of Culture, on Via Roma, a multifunctional center inaugurated in 2018 and created from the renovation of the former kindergarten: a covered "square" with a newsstand and library, an auditorium, a workshop room with a pottery kiln, and a soundproofed music rehearsal room. Together with the Spazio Reno Theatre, the Rinaldo Veronesi Library, and the Municipal Culture Service, the House of Culture coordinates a town cultural system that is unparalleled in size for a municipality in the Bologna belt.

What to expect

Each edition offers a rich and varied structure, usually comprising around forty events:

• Visual Arts: exhibitions and displays at the House of Culture, often the result of artistic residencies and participatory projects with the community.
• Music: piano and chamber music reviews, concerts in churches and parks, open rehearsals by emerging bands, ranging from jazz to baroque to rock'n'roll and more contemporary styles.
• Open-air Cinema: screenings under the stars, particularly in the garden of the Longara Social Centre.
• Dance and Theatre: performances for families and adults in outdoor spaces and auditoriums.
• Walks and Excursions: guided itineraries to discover the landscape, the Golena San Vitale, and the hidden paths of the area.

A review for everyone

The distinctive feature of CulturaraEstate is its accessibility: almost all events are free admission, with mandatory booking, and the involvement of local associations makes the program a true community project. Part of the Bologna Estate circuit, the review is one of the most solid summer offerings in the province of Bologna and a point of reference for those living in Calderara and neighboring municipalities.