Festival of Cultures
The multicultural festival in L'Aquila, a spin-off of the Aquila Film Festival
About Festival of Cultures
A bridge between peoples in the heart of Abruzzo
The Festival of Cultures is a multicultural event that enlivens L'Aquila, the capital of Abruzzo, every year between May and June. Born as a spin-off of the renowned Aquila Film Festival (active since 2007 and organized by the L'Idea di Clรฉves Cultural Association), the Festival of Cultures has adopted an increasingly participatory and workshop-based approach: it is not just a calendar of events, but a true space for encounter where cinema intertwines with music, literature, sport, and the gastronomy of four continents.
Multiculturalism as the protagonist
The beating heart of the event is the group of young international residents in L'Aquila, who form a staff hailing from Ukraine, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Mexico, Georgia, Nigeria, and India. They are not mere spectators, but true protagonists who share their stories and bring their traditions to the stage. The festival is developed in close collaboration with the Department of Human Sciences of the University of L'Aquila, involving both Italian and international students in European projects such as BIP-EULiST.
Where it takes place
The iconic venues of the festival are the Palazzetto dei Nobili and the Auditorium del Parco, joined for the closing night by the squares and historic buildings of L'Aquila's center: from Piazza Duomo to the Giorgio de Marchis Bonanni d'Ocre Foundation, from MAXXI L'Aquila to the city's independent bookstores. The programming typically takes place every Tuesday and Wednesday in May, with screenings, talks, and concerts, culminating at the beginning of June.
The White Night of Cultures
Starting in 2026, the festival concludes with the White Night of Cultures, a long day that transforms the historic center into a vast, widespread laboratory of art, music, and internationalization from afternoon until midnight. This appointment is made even more significant by the fact that L'Aquila is the Italian Capital of Culture 2026: the city presents itself as a European crossroads of diverse voices and experiences, along a path of cultural and social reconstruction rooted in the post-2009 earthquake era.
An event designed for those who love auteur cinema, cross-cultural encounters, and an idea of an open, welcoming community, set against the evocative backdrop of L'Aquila's historic center.
Festival of Cultures โ edition 2026
Festival of Cultures 2026: L'Aquila Capital of Culture
The 2026 edition, the seventh, held special significance: L'Aquila was the Italian Capital of Culture 2026. As usual, the festival took place between May and the first days of June, with film screenings, meetings, and concerts dedicated to dialogue between peoples, culminating in the grand closing evening on June 6.
The festival confirmed its participatory vocation, with a multicultural staff of young foreign residents and the collaboration of the University of L'Aquila, also involved through the European BIP-EULiST project with 22 international students.
Programme Festival of Cultures 2026
Saturday, June 6, 2026 โ White Night of Cultures (closing event)
From 3:30 PM to midnight, L'Aquila's historic center transformed into a widespread laboratory with 17 events and 14 partners involved.
- 5:00 PM โ Auditorium del Parco: meeting with Licia Colรฒ, conference "Traveling to reach the Other", dedicated to travel as an experience of knowing the Other.
- Guided tours of the exhibition dedicated to Nล Theatre at the Giorgio de Marchis Bonanni d'Ocre Foundation.
- Guided tour in English at MAXXI L'Aquila.
- Presentation of the book "La bianca scienza" by Marco Boscolo (CiPenso Festival).
- Aquilibri reading group with Maria Grazia Lopardi.
- International karaoke hosted by ESN Aquilasmus.
- Widespread initiatives in bookstores and city spaces: Polarville, Libera Mia, Colacchi, Laboratorio Radici, Spazio Rimediato.
Itinerant musicians in the historic center
- Discanto โ Abruzzese and Southern songs
- Eoan O'Dean โ Irish folk
- Vlada Shamova and Fabio Iuliano โ Mediterranean sounds
- Refusi โ American repertoire
- Mikorizo โ Balkan, Greek, Middle Eastern, and South American music
- Policultural Orchestra of Piazza Palazzo โ evening concert
The evening concluded with the final jam session at I Due Magi, a convivial moment open to everyone featuring music, food, and improvisation.
Highlights Festival of Cultures 2026
Prices Festival of Cultures 2026
Practical information — Festival of Cultures
Where it takes place
Events are held in L'Aquila, primarily at the Palazzetto dei Nobili and the Auditorium del Parco, as well as in the squares, museums, and bookstores of the historic center.
How to get there
L'Aquila can be reached by car via the A24 Rome-L'Aquila-Teramo motorway. The historic center is pedestrianized: it is recommended to use the park-and-ride facilities and reach the event venues on foot.
Tickets
Most events are free; some require booking (often via Eventbrite), and a contribution is requested for certain workshops or tastings. It is recommended to check the details on the official Aquila Film Festival website.
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Where does it take place โ Festival of Cultures
Auditorium del Parco