La Città che Viene

A festival that reinvents Corviale

La Città che Viene is a participatory art project that brings theatre out of traditional venues and into the daily life of Corviale, one of the most iconic districts in Rome's suburbs, located in Municipality XI. The famous "serpentone", the immense residential building that defines the landscape, becomes the backdrop for widespread scenic actions designed to lead the inhabitants' imagination toward new perspectives. Not a single stage, but many small settings scattered among kiosks, bus terminals, gardens, and small squares.

The Program

Activities are spread throughout the day, from morning to sunset, with recurring appointments and evening shows:

• Caffè Sospeso — morning poetry readings at the local kiosk bar.
• Fermata Musicale — live jazz at the bus terminus in the late afternoon.
• Giro Corvialista — a guided artistic walk through the spaces of Corviale (reservation required).
• Astronave Corviale Festival — evening urban theatre and dance-theatre performances in a local garden.

Dance-theatre and artistic residency

The heart of the evening programme is the dance-theatre festival, featuring original works that alternate throughout the nights. The project also hosts an artistic residency that guides several artists toward a final performance, along with a theatre workshop created with guests from the Corviale Psychiatric Residence (ASL Roma 3): a blend of music, poetry, and urban walking that makes inclusion a working method, not just a theme.

A community project

Directed by Riccardo Vannuccini and curated by the Artestudio association, the festival transforms inhabitants into "competent residents": both recipients and protagonists of the artistic actions. The goal is to restore an active cultural role to the suburbs, making the district not just a backdrop but a true creative subject. The project is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Roma Capitale - Department of Culture, in collaboration with SIAE.

Corviale, Rome and the Lazio region

Corviale is located in the south-western sector of the Municipality of Rome, the capital of the Lazio region, a short distance from the Grande Raccordo Anulare. La Città che Viene is now one of the most original summer events in the Roman cultural landscape outside the historic centre: an opportunity to discover a part of the city often described only for its problems, and instead experience it through poetry, music, and theatre.