Fuori Posto Festival – Festival of Theatre at the Edge

A festival that gets close enough to be experienced

The Fuori Posto Festival – Festival of Theatre at the Edge is a performing arts festival held in Rome, within the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the Lazio Region. Its home is the park of Villa Carpegna, a green lung in the Aurelio district (Municipio XIII), where lawns, tree-lined paths, and intimate spaces become open-air stages for a few days. The name says it all: here, theatre is intentionally "out of place"—meaning outside the traditional theatre hall and right in the middle of the people.

From 2013 to today: a Roman story

The festival was founded in 2013 by the Associazione Culturale Fuori Contesto, which has always managed its artistic direction and organization. Early editions took place in unconventional city locations—the Valmelaina market, Parco Andrea Campagna, city squares, Parco del Pineto, and schools in the IV Municipality—before finding a stable, recognizable home at Villa Carpegna in 2023. Over the years, the event has become part of the Estate Romana cultural program, building a loyal following of families and curious spectators.

The "edge" as a meeting place

The hallmark of Fuori Posto is its work on the concept of the "limit" or "edge." As artistic director Emilia Martinelli explained, "the limit is not a boundary, but a place for meeting and play." This leads to a program centered on accessibility and danceability: performances featuring artists with disabilities, shows translated into Italian Sign Language (LIS), sensory experiences to be lived with eyes closed, and tactile readings with 3D-printed objects. This is not a "social" appendix to the program, but its structural core: the festival stands as one of the rare Italian urban theatre festivals built around the artistic talent of disabled performers.

What to see at the festival

• Theatre and street theatre, in the form of urban performances at close range to the public
• Dance and contemporary dance, with danceability projects and international co-productions
• Live music and soundscapes scattered throughout the park
• Art installations, video mapping, and photography exhibitions
• Workshops for children and families, designed for ages 4 to 10 but open to all ages
• Talks, readings, and meetings on rights, the environment, and coexistence

An experience designed for families

Younger audiences are a central presence. In recent editions, the program has hosted theatre and dance workshops inspired by fairy tales, creative storytelling ateliers, nature and movement discovery activities, and theatrical games based on civic and environmental escape rooms. The shows are short, participatory, and designed for adults and children to experience together, often sitting on the grass just a few meters from the performers.

Why it's worth visiting

Fuori Posto is a great gateway to the less touristy side of cultural Rome: you are just minutes from the Vatican and the Aurelio district, yet in a relaxed, local neighborhood setting. For those visiting the capital at the end of summer, it is an opportunity to see how the independent Roman theatre scene works on inclusion, all within a historic park that preserves its noble casino and 19th-century landscape design. All events are free to enter, making the festival particularly suitable for a family evening without a rigid schedule.