International Festival of Different Abilities
The Carpi festival that turns art and fragility into a resource of human beauty
About Different Abilities Festival
A festival where fragility becomes a resource
The International Festival of Different Abilities is one of the most original cultural events in Emilia-Romagna. Born in 1999 in Carpi, in the Province of Modena, it is promoted by the Cooperativa Sociale Nazareno and each year offers a multi-week program of exhibitions, theater performances, dance, concerts, film screenings, conferences, and craft, art, and cooking workshops. The common thread is always the same: placing people with physical and mental disabilities at the center as protagonists, not spectators, restoring dignity and voice to those who are too often marginalized.
A festival spread across the territory
Although its heart is in Carpi, the Festival is a widespread event that spans the Emilia region and beyond. Events take place in various cities - including Correggio, Concordia, Formigine, and Bologna - with stops that have also reached Turin and Milan over the years. This itinerant dimension reinforces the international character of the event and its vocation to build bridges between different worlds and communities.
A new theme every year
Each edition is built around a poetic and educational theme that becomes the key to interpreting all the events. Thus, it moves from reflections on identity to those on desire, always with a perspective that goes beyond labels and appearances. The Festival thus becomes a large cultural laboratory that combines testimonies, contemporary art, music, and live performance in an open dialogue on the human condition.
Art, performance, and inclusion
- Exhibitions hosted in symbolic locations in the Municipality of Carpi, such as the Episcopal Seminary;
- Theater and dance performances with companies and artists with different abilities;
- Concerts and meetings with guests from the Italian cultural scene;
- Conferences addressing the major themes of fragility, desire, and care;
- Workshops for schools, associations, and families.
Why it's worth participating
More than just a festival, the International Festival of Different Abilities is an event that changes the perspective of those who participate. In a city like Carpi, a vibrant center in the Modenese plain, the event offers an opportunity to experience art as a tool for inclusion and to discover, in the words of the organizers, the human beauty that resides in each person. An experience that speaks to everyone, far beyond the usual audience for events on the theme of disability.
Different Abilities Festival — edition 2026
2026 Edition: "Infinite Desires, Proud Visions"
The 28th edition of the Festival, promoted by Cooperativa Sociale Nazareno of Carpi, had the theme "Infinite Desires, Proud Visions," a poetic manifesto inspired by Giacomo Leopardi and the desire to look "beyond the hedge." The program, spread across Carpi, Correggio, Concordia, Formigine, and Bologna, intertwined art, performance, and reflection on the human condition.
Key Moments
- May 3: Inaugural meeting "Called to Look Up" at the Loria Auditorium in Carpi and opening of the exhibition "A Treasure in Clay Pots" at the Episcopal Seminary (open from May 3 to 10, free admission);
- May 10: Final of the Open Festival in Correggio;
- May 14: Performance "Miser Abili" at the Teatro del Popolo in Concordia;
- May 28 and 29: Workshops for schools and associations;
- May 30: Conference in Carpi "From the Dictatorship of Enjoyment to the Rebirth of Desire";
- June 9: Final event in Bologna, at Casa Mantovani.
Admission to most events was free, with recommended booking for some guided tours.
Programme Different Abilities Festival 2026
2026 Program
- May 3 - Carpi, Loria Auditorium: meeting "Called to Look Up" with testimonies on pain and hope;
- May 3-10 - Carpi, Episcopal Seminary: exhibition "A Treasure in Clay Pots - Ermanno the Cripple," free admission (10 AM-12:30 PM / 4 PM-7 PM);
- May 10 - Correggio: Open Festival final;
- May 14 - Concordia, Teatro del Popolo: performance "Miser Abili";
- May 28-29 - workshops for schools and associations;
- May 30 - Carpi: conference "From the Dictatorship of Enjoyment to the Rebirth of Desire";
- June 9 - Bologna, Casa Mantovani: closing event.
Highlights Different Abilities Festival 2026
Among the most anticipated moments were the exhibition "A Treasure in Clay Pots" dedicated to the medieval monk Ermanno "the Cripple," a scholar, astronomer, and musician of the 11th century, displayed at the Episcopal Seminary of Carpi, and the inaugural meeting with testimonies from care professionals and people living with disabilities.
Prices Different Abilities Festival 2026
Practical information — Different Abilities Festival
How to get there
Carpi is easily reachable by train thanks to the station on the Modena-Mantova-Verona line, a few minutes from the historic center. By car, it can be reached from the A22 Brenner motorway (Carpi exit) or the A1 (Modena Nord exit). The nearest airport is Bologna Guglielmo Marconi, about an hour away.
Admission and prices
Many Festival events, including exhibitions, offer free admission, sometimes with recommended booking for guided tours. A ticket may be required for some performances and concerts. It is advisable to consult the official program on the event's website.
Information
Cooperativa Sociale Nazareno, Via Bollitora Interna 130, Carpi (MO). Telephone +39 059 5187153, email [email protected].
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Where does it take place — Different Abilities Festival
Cooperativa Sociale Nazareno
Via Bollitora Interna 130, 41012 Carpi