International Madonnari Competition of Sicily

A carpet of drawn prayers

The International Madonnari Competition of Sicily is one of the most evocative events in the Southern Italian street art scene. Every year in mid-September, the historic center of Nicosia—an ancient town in the province of Enna, in the heart of inland Sicily—welcomes master madonnari from all over Italy and the world, who transform Via Fratelli Testa into a vibrant, colorful carpet of chalk works created directly on the pavement.

The ephemeral art of the madonnari

The madonnari are the heirs of an ancient tradition: wandering artists who, along pilgrimage routes like the Via Francigena, would reproduce sacred images on the ground in exchange for offerings. In Nicosia, this art is revived in a contemporary key: for two or three days, artists work outdoors, often through the night, under the eyes of passersby, bringing to life monumental works destined to vanish with the rain and the passage of feet. It is precisely this fragility that makes the event so poetic.

Faith, tradition, and civic engagement

The competition is closely linked to the celebrations in honor of Maria SS. dell'Aiuto, a highly venerated patron saint in Nicosia, and each edition proposes a theme that intertwines spirituality with current events: from the figure of women in the Gospel to the denunciation of gender-based violence, and the search for authentic peace. The works, often of a Marian or sacred nature, thus engage in a dialogue with the great issues of our time.

The workshop for the little ones

As per tradition, Piazza Garibaldi hosts a creative workshop dedicated to children: an opportunity to introduce new generations to the art of the madonnari, its values, and its craftsmanship in a moment of shared celebration.

Nicosia, the Sicilian capital of the madonnari

Promoted by the Associazione Madonnari di Sicilia with the patronage of the Municipality of Nicosia, the Maria SS. dell'Aiuto Committee, and the Diocese of Nicosia, the competition has solidified Nicosia's reputation over the years as the Sicilian capital of this art form. Admission is free: visiting the streets of the center during the competition means witnessing the birth of these works live, immersed in an atmosphere that combines art, devotion, and conviviality.