#fuoriluogo – Literary Festival of the City of Biella

#fuoriluogo, literature stepping out of the ordinary

Founded in 2014, #fuoriluogo is the literary festival of the City of Biella, nestled in the heart of Piedmont at the foot of the Alps. The idea behind the festival's name is simple yet powerful: to take books and author meetings out of the ordinary places and into unexpected spaces that flood the city every year. Literature leaves conference halls behind to settle into libraries, theaters, historic clubs, bookstores, bars, repurposed factories, and even the local prison, transforming all of Biella into one vast, widespread stage.

Three days of meetings, readings, and ideas

The #fuoriluogo program weaves together meetings with novelists, journalists, essayists, and experts, alongside staged readings, musical and theatrical performances, workshops, and activities for children. Over the years, the festival has grown to feature dozens of events and over ninety guests from across Italy, including leading names on the cultural scene: recent editions have featured authors such as Strega Prize winner Emanuele Trevi, as well as renowned scholars of books and reading.

A widespread, free festival in Biella

The organizational heart of the event is the Biella Civic Library, supported by the Biellese Library System and numerous local cultural entities, under the guidance of the FUORILUOGO ETS Association. Most events are free to attend, a choice that reflects the festival's mission to promote reading and cultural participation as a common good. In recent years, the festival has extended its reach beyond the city center, with lead-up events in the municipalities of the Province of Biella.

Why it's worth it

For those who love books and stories, #fuoriluogo is the perfect opportunity to hear from today's most compelling authors, discover new releases, and experience Biella in a different light, wandering through courtyards, squares, and spaces that, for a few days, become hubs of conversation and debate. It is a festival that has successfully built a recognizable identity within the Italian literary landscape while remaining deeply rooted in its Piedmontese city and province.