Festival of Cultures

The Festival of Cultures of Ravenna

The Festival of Cultures is one of the most established intercultural events in Emilia-Romagna and takes place every year in Ravenna, a city that has been a symbol of encounter between East and West since the Byzantine era. Promoted by the Municipality of Ravenna together with a broad network of social cooperatives, associations, and third-sector organizations, the Festival offers a widespread program of meetings, exhibitions, performances, screenings, and concerts that traverse the city for several weeks, from spring to summer.

Telling the World: The 2026 Edition

The nineteenth edition, scheduled from April 16 to June 20, 2026, is titled "Telling the World" and focuses on freedom of the press, ethical journalism, and stories often marginalized by the media. Wars, migrations, human rights, and intercultural coexistence are addressed through journalism, photography, literature, cinema, and theater, with an open and pluralistic view of the present.

Meetings, Exhibitions, and Performances

The heart of the Festival consists of meetings with internationally renowned authors, journalists, and photojournalists, hosted in the city's symbolic venues: from Palazzo Rasponi dalle Teste in Piazza Kennedy to historic theaters like the Teatro Alighieri and the Teatro Rasi, from the MAR - Art Museum of the city to the Rocca Brancaleone Park.

• Photographic exhibitions, including large photojournalism exhibitions set up in the public spaces of the historic center;
• Meetings and conferences with journalists, writers, and media professionals on freedom of the press and human rights;
• Theatrical performances in the city's main theaters;
• Cinema with screenings dedicated to the Festival's themes;
• Music, dances, games, and world gastronomy, especially during the large intercultural festival hosted at Rocca Brancaleone.

A Widespread Festival in the City of Mosaics

Every year, the Festival involves dozens of local organizations and thousands of high school students, who meet writers and witnesses to reflect on current events, migration, and coexistence. The widespread format takes culture outside conventional venues and disseminates it among squares, schools, and public spaces, making Ravenna, in the province of Ravenna and the heart of Romagna, a laboratory for dialogue and citizenship. Most events are free admission, confirming the event's popular and inclusive vocation.