Life Design Festival

Digital design arrives in Basilicata

The Life Design Festival is a young but already recognizable event in Potenza's cultural scene: a two-day event entirely dedicated to digital design, graphics, typography, and contemporary visual cultures. Its ambition is declared in its name: to demonstrate that Southern Italy is not just a place to be told about or experienced, but can become an active hub in the contemporary design network.

The event takes place at the Terminal Gallitello, the space along the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane that has become a reference point for creative events in the regional capital in recent years. Here, for two days, talks, workshops, installations, and networking moments alternate from morning to evening, transforming a mobility infrastructure into an agora for projects.

Talks, workshops, and exhibitions

The format alternates between stage presentations and practical sessions. The talks showcase processes, case studies, and visions of those who work with design every day; the workshops, with limited capacity and bookable with the festival pass, offer a concrete training opportunity; the exhibitions and installations complete the experience, also providing space for the exhibition and experimental dimension.

The claim for the 2026 edition, "Every gesture leaves a trace", perfectly summarizes the spirit of the initiative: the idea that every design choice, no matter how small, contributes to building a collective identity and a future for the territory.

A growing community

Born to give a voice to the Lucanian creative scene and to attract talents from outside the region, the festival gathers a few hundred participants and dozens of guests each year, including established studios and new realities in Italian design. It is an event designed for students, professionals, companies, and the curious, but also an opportunity for networking that strengthens the bond between Potenza, Basilicata, and the world of design.

Potenza, the Lucanian capital of design

The initiative is part of the broader cultural ferment in the capital of the Province of Potenza, which, with the support of the Municipality and private partners, is increasingly focusing on events related to creativity and innovation. For visitors to the city, the festival is also an opportunity to discover an unexpected and dynamic side of the Lucanian center.