Iolanda Cappuccio – Three Muses Festival
Poetry, painting, photography, and sculpture in Piazzetta del Carmine
About Three Muses Festival
The three Muses of Pisciotta
In the heart of the Cilento region, just a stone's throw from the sea, the Iolanda Cappuccio – Three Muses Festival is the cultural highlight that enlivens Pisciotta, a town in the province of Salerno, Campania, every summer. The event takes place in the scenic Piazzetta del Carmine, a small viewpoint in the historic center overlooking olive groves and the coast, transforming an August evening into a meeting of poetry, painting, photography, and sculpture. Admission is free, and the evening is designed as a moment of celebration shared with the entire community.
From the Iolanda Cappuccio Prize to the festival
The festival stems from the experience of the Iolanda Cappuccio – Poems to Remember prize, a literary award that has been collecting verses in Italian and the Cilento dialect in Pisciotta for many years: in 2025, the prize reached its eighteenth edition. That same year, the initiative expanded to include other disciplines, transforming into a full-fledged festival that "comes in threes": hence the reference to the Muses, representing the arts of composing verses, painting, and photography. The organization is managed by the Iolanda Cultural Non-Profit Association of Pisciotta, chaired by Professor Maria Marsicano.
Competition sections
The festival is structured as an artistic and literary competition open to authors from all backgrounds: works are submitted in the preceding weeks and evaluated by a jury, while the winners are announced live during the final evening. The competition sections include:
- Lyric Poetry, in Italian or dialect with translation, on a free theme;
- Poetry-Prayer, dedicated to the spiritual dimension;
- Painting, with works created using any technique;
- Photography, in digital format, accompanied by a title and text;
- Sculpture, a new addition for the 2026 edition, open to any material;
- Story of an Emigrant, documented stories and testimonies about Cilento's emigration.
The top three finishers in each section are awarded non-monetary prizes; the author's presence at the evening is required to collect the award.
The memory of emigration and social commitment
One of the most original features of the festival is the section dedicated to emigration stories: tales, letters, and documents that reconstruct the journey of Cilento families to Latin America, particularly to Venezuela. It is a theme that deeply belongs to the identity of this stretch of coast, marked for generations by departures and returns. Alongside memory, there is concrete commitment: a percentage of the adult registration fees is donated to support Venezuelan citizens affected by natural disasters.
An awards evening under the stars
The final evening combines the announcement of the winners with poetry readings, book presentations, exhibitions of paintings and photographs, and entertainment. The event is hosted by journalist Nicola De Feo, and the awards ceremony is attended by local civil and religious authorities. In its first edition, the event was sponsored by the Campania Region and the municipalities of Pisciotta, Piaggine, and Tremezzina.
Pisciotta and the Cilento
Pisciotta is a medieval village perched above the Cilento coast, surrounded by ancient olive groves and included in the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. In August, the town experiences its most intense season, between seaside tourism, patronal feasts, and cultural events: the Three Muses Festival fits into this calendar as a more intimate and reflective moment, capable of attracting artists and visitors from outside the region. For those spending the summer in Cilento, it is the ideal opportunity to discover the historic center of Pisciotta beyond the beach.
Three Muses Festival — edition 2026
2026 Edition: six sections and a new Muse
The second edition of the Iolanda Cappuccio – Three Muses Festival is scheduled in Pisciotta, in the province of Salerno, on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at 8:00 PM, in Piazzetta del Carmine. The Iolanda Cultural Non-Profit Association, chaired by Professor Maria Marsicano, has expanded the call for entries: to the three original Muses – poetry, painting, and photography – are added sculpture, open to works created with any material, and a section entirely dedicated to the history of Cilento emigrants.
The latter collects stories and documented testimonies about departures to Latin America, with particular attention to Venezuela: a chapter of local history that the festival aims to return to new generations. The initiative is accompanied by a solidarity fundraiser, fueled by a percentage of the adult registration fees and intended for Venezuelan citizens affected by natural disasters.
How to participate
The competition is open to artists, writers, poets, photographers, and sculptors from all backgrounds. Works must be sent by email to the organization by August 10, 2026, indicating the chosen section. For each category, the top three finishers are awarded non-monetary prizes, presented during the public evening on August 16.
Programme Three Muses Festival 2026
Sunday, August 16, 2026 – Piazzetta del Carmine, 8:00 PM
- Opening of the evening and greetings from the Iolanda Cultural Non-Profit Association
- Hosted by journalist Nicola De Feo
- Readings of the competition works and exhibition of painting, photography, and sculpture
- Presentation of the section dedicated to Cilento emigration stories
- Public awards ceremony for the top three in each section, in the presence of civil and religious authorities
2026 Competition Sections
- Section A – Lyric Poetry: compositions in Italian or dialect with translation, free theme
- Section B – Poetry-Prayer: texts of spiritual inspiration
- Section C – Painting: works created with any technique
- Section D – Photography: digital images with title and accompanying text
- Section E – Sculpture: 2026 novelty, works in any material
- Section F – Emigrant Story: narratives and documents on Cilento emigration
Deadline for submission of works: August 10, 2026, via email to the organizing association's address.
Highlights Three Muses Festival 2026
- Unique awards evening on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at 8:00 PM in Piazzetta del Carmine
- Debut of the Sculpture section, the festival's fourth Muse
- New Emigrant Story section on Cilento's emigration to Venezuela
- Hosted by journalist Nicola De Feo
- Solidarity fundraiser for Venezuelan citizens affected by natural disasters
- Free admission for the public, in one of the village's most charming viewpoints
Prices Three Muses Festival 2026
Practical information — Three Muses Festival
Location
Piazzetta del Carmine, in the historic center of Pisciotta (84066), province of Salerno. This is an open-air space: arriving a few minutes early is recommended, as seating is limited.
How to get there
- By car: Take the Vallo della Lucania–Ascea exit on the SS18 Cilentana, then follow local roads to Pisciotta. Parking near the historic center is often crowded on August evenings.
- By train: Pisciotta–Palinuro station on the Naples–Reggio Calabria line, connected to the village by a short car or local bus ride.
- By plane: Naples-Capodichino Airport, about two and a half hours away by road.
Admission and registration
The evening is free to attend. Participation in the competition requires a registration fee for each section; works must be sent by email to the organizing association's address by the deadline indicated in the call for entries.
Tips
August is high season on the Cilento coast: it is advisable to book hotels, B&Bs, or vacation homes in Pisciotta, Palinuro, Ascea, or Marina di Camerota well in advance. The evening is held outdoors, so a light sweater may be useful after sunset.
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Where does it take place — Three Muses Festival
Piazzetta del Carmine
Piazzetta del Carmine, 84066 Pisciotta