Essenziale/Presente
Dialogues, visions, encounters in the heart of Fiorano Modenese
About Essenziale/Presente
A festival to read the present
Essenziale/Presente is the cultural and community festival of Fiorano Modenese, in the heart of the ceramic district of the province of Modena, in Emilia-Romagna. Born in 2025, the event is promoted by the Municipality of Fiorano Modenese together with Pandora Rivista, with the support of the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Fondazione di Modena. Its aim is to offer tools to understand reality and build relationships, civic sense, and new perspectives, focusing on the idea of living today with awareness.
Dialogues, visions, encounters
The festival revolves around a dense calendar of public meetings with prominent guests from the Italian cultural scene. Philosophers, writers, scientists, and journalists discuss topics that span our time: geopolitics and global disorder, war and information, democracy, artificial intelligence, transformations in work, youth violence, and new social vulnerabilities.
- Conferences and dialogues in the squares of the historic center
- Participatory experiences: workshops, sensory walks in nature, guided tours of historic residences and the Sanctuary
- Shows, poetry performances, and evening concerts
- Photo exhibitions and art installations
- Activities for children and families with local associations
The festival venues
Essenziale/Presente transforms the center of Fiorano Modenese into a large space for shared thought. The events take place in Piazza Ciro Menotti, at the Teatro Astoria, at the BLA library (Biblioteca Ludoteca Archivio storico), and in the evocative garden of the Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine del Castello. The historic residences of the town, such as Villa Coccapani, are opened to the public for the occasion, intertwining cultural reflection with the discovery of local heritage.
A community that participates
More than a series of conferences, Essenziale/Presente is a collective experience: the festival strengthens the sense of community through direct participation, with experiences designed for different age groups and created together with local associations. The first edition, in 2025, attracted over 2,300 attendees, confirming the initiative's strong roots in the Fiorano area and the entire Modena region.
Free admission
All meetings are free to enter. Booking is recommended for conferences, while registration is required for workshops and participatory experiences. The complete program is published on the website of the Municipality of Fiorano Modenese and on Pandora Rivista.
Essenziale/Presente — edition 2026
2026 Edition: living today with awareness
The second edition of Essenziale/Presente offered ten public talks and a rich program of twenty-three participatory experiences, including shows and exhibitions, which enlivened the center of Fiorano Modenese.
Among the guests: Telmo Pievani, Massimo Giannini, Paolo Giordano, Mario De Caro, Nadia Urbinati, Marco Damilano, Alessandro Vanoli, Luca Baldissara, and Raffaele Alberto Ventura. On Saturday, June 6, in Piazza Ciro Menotti, the talks "Nata democratica" with Nadia Urbinati and "Raccontare la guerra oggi" (Telling the story of war today) with Paolo Giordano; at the Astoria Theatre, the inauguration of the photographic exhibition "Dis(armati)" by Alessio Romanzi on youth violence.
Program
- 10 talks with writers, scientists, philosophers, and journalists
- 23 participatory experiences: workshops, sensory walks, guided tours
- Exhibitions, poetry performances, and concluding concert
- Venues: Piazza Ciro Menotti, Teatro Astoria, BLA, Sanctuary garden
Programme Essenziale/Presente 2026
Ten public talks with guests such as Telmo Pievani, Massimo Giannini, Paolo Giordano, Mario De Caro, Nadia Urbinati, Marco Damilano, Alessandro Vanoli, and Alessandra Colarizi. Among the events on Saturday, June 6: "Oriente" with Alessandro Vanoli and Alessandra Colarizi in the Sanctuary garden (11 am); "Nata democratica" with Nadia Urbinati (7 pm) and "Raccontare la guerra oggi" with Paolo Giordano, Annalisa Camilli, and Veronica Fernandes (9 pm) in Piazza Ciro Menotti; at the Astoria Theatre (5:30 pm) the exhibition "Dis(armati)" by Alessio Romanzi. Accompanying the talks, 23 participatory experiences including ceramics workshops, drum circles, theater, street art, and nature walks, with a concluding concert.
Highlights Essenziale/Presente 2026
- "Nata democratica" with Nadia Urbinati (Columbia University)
- "Raccontare la guerra oggi" with Paolo Giordano, Strega Prize winner
- Photographic exhibition "Dis(armati)" by Alessio Romanzi on youth violence
- Live podcast on the birth of the Republic with Lorenzo Pregliasco and Lorenzo Baravalle
Prices Essenziale/Presente 2026
Practical information — Essenziale/Presente
How to get there
Fiorano Modenese is located in the Modena ceramic district, a few kilometers from Sassuolo and Modena. By car: take the Modena Sud (A1) motorway exit, then follow SS12 and SP467 towards Sassuolo/Fiorano. By train: stations in Modena or Sassuolo, with bus connections to the center of Fiorano.
Tickets
Free admission to all events. Booking recommended for conferences (www.pandorarivista.it/essenzialepresente); mandatory registration for workshops and experiences ([email protected]).
Information
Culture Office of the Municipality of Fiorano Modenese, tel. +39 0536 833412.
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Where does it take place — Essenziale/Presente
Centro storico, Teatro Astoria, BLA, giardino del Santuario
Piazza Ciro Menotti, 41042 Fiorano Modenese