inQuiete – Women Writers' Festival in Rome

A festival dedicated to women writers in the heart of Pigneto

inQuiete is the first Italian festival entirely dedicated to women writers, founded in 2016 in the Pigneto district of Rome. Every year, the festival transforms the streets and cultural venues of this vibrant corner of the capital into a vast space for shared discourse, where Italian and international authors, thinkers, and artists meet to share literature written by women. Meetings, readings, debates, workshops, and book presentations follow one another for days, with a large and loyal audience that has made inQuiete a recognized fixture of the Italian literary scene.

Ten years of inQuiete: the 2026 edition and the "Revolt" theme

In 2026, inQuiete celebrates its tenth anniversary. For the occasion, the organizers have chosen a powerful theme, "Revolt": a word that, as the curators explain, runs through literature as a practice of cultural and symbolic transformation. Meetings with writers and intellectuals from diverse backgrounds are built around this idea, in a dialogue that combines literary research, feminist reflection, and current affairs. The main edition takes place from September 25 to 27, 2026, preceded by several previews in May.

The May previews

The festival previews sparked anticipation as early as spring, featuring international guests: American writer Melissa Febos, who opened the meetings at Libreria Tuba with her "Dry Season," and Iranian-born author Jina Khayyer with the novel "Nel cuore del gatto." The preview events took place between Libreria Tuba and the Casa Internazionale delle Donne, anticipating the themes and voices of the autumn edition.

The festival venues

inQuiete inhabits some of the most iconic spaces in Pigneto: Libreria Tuba (via del Pigneto 39/a), a historic women's bookstore and the beating heart of the festival; Cinema Avorio (via Macerata 12), the main stage for meetings; and the Goffredo Mameli Library (via del Pigneto 22), which hosts the section dedicated to children, inQuiete Kids. The festival takes place in Rome, the capital city of the Lazio region, and is produced with the support of the Department of Culture of Rome Capital.

A feminist and inclusive project

Organized by the MIA association together with Libreria Tuba, inQuiete defines itself as a space for feminist, free, and inclusive discourse, where the public meets and generates new possibilities for perspectives and narratives. Many events are designed to be accessible, with barrier-free venues and some meetings interpreted in sign language. Alongside the program, LetteraFutura was born, an initiative dedicated to supporting emerging women writers. For those who love books and want to hear the most vibrant voices of contemporary female writing, inQuiete is an unmissable stop on the Roman cultural autumn.