Jam Session Festival - Sibillini Romantici

A widespread festival in the heart of the Sibillini

The Jam Session Festival is the main artistic event of the Sibillini Romantici project, an initiative that links the three Municipalities of Amandola, Montedinove, and Rotella, small villages in the Province of Ascoli Piceno overlooking the Monti Sibillini. The project is funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU and managed by the Ministry of Culture as part of the PNRR M1C3 – Measure 2 Investment 2.1 "Attractiveness of villages" – Line B, with the aim of revitalizing the intangible cultural heritage of the area.

The format: the artistic residency

The festival is based on the creative residency format: each edition brings together a small group of participants, guided by masters and tutors, for a workshop spread across the three villages. The idea is to "re-read yesterday's cultural heritage with today's sensibility" through diverse artistic languages that change from year to year. In past editions, the residency explored music, fusing the traditional Marche saltarello with contemporary rock sounds; more recently, it has focused on photography and land art.

The 2026 edition: photographic land art

The 2026 edition featured photographic land art. The residency, led by professor Claudio Colotti and curated by the association Pepe Lab and Radici Locali srl, involved ten participants in a workshop spread across landscapes, nature, and historic villages. The participants created small, temporary land art installations using found natural elements, which were then documented and reinterpreted through photography.

The results of the workshop were presented in three separate exhibitions: in Montedinove from May 9th at the Tourist Welcome Center in Via Santa Chiara, in Amandola from May 12th at the entrance of the Town Hall in Piazza Risorgimento, and in Rotella from May 15th at Palazzo Magnalbò, in Via Umberto I.

Between art and territory

The Jam Session Festival is much more than a showcase: it is a tool for enhancing an inland area of the Monti Sibillini marked by depopulation and the 2016 earthquake. Through contemporary art, photography, and music, the festival invites residents and visitors to see the landscapes, squares, and alleys of Montedinove and the other network villages with new eyes. The exhibitions, with free admission, are an opportunity to discover charming corners of the Marche Region far from mass tourist circuits.

The network villages

• Montedinove: a medieval village perched between the Aso and Tesino valleys, home to the Tourist Welcome Center which hosts the exhibitions.
• Amandola: the gateway to the Sibillini Mountains, known for its truffles and vibrant cultural life.
• Rotella: a small municipality in the Piceno area, with an exhibition space at Palazzo Magnalbò.