Mamma(che)Roma! – Street Art Festival in Casal Bertone

A street art festival in the heart of Casal Bertone

Mamma(che)Roma! is a festival dedicated to street art and urban creativity that comes to life in Casal Bertone, a working-class neighborhood nestled between the Tiburtina and Prenestina areas in Rome's Municipio IV. The name is an affectionate and ironic tribute to Mamma Roma, the film Pier Paolo Pasolini shot right here in 1962, featuring the extraordinary Anna Magnani: the famous «railway workers' building» and the local housing projects depicted by the director remain part of the district's identity today.

Organized by: VenUS Urban Art

The festival is promoted by the VenUS Youth Association (VenUS Urban Art), a Roman organization that bridges feminism and urban art. VenUS creates murals, events, tours, and workshops to promote the empowerment of young women, building a professional network in the field of urban art and launching initiatives for gender equality and civic participation. In Casal Bertone, this approach translates into a festival that is not just an exhibition of works, but a shared process with residents, schools, and local organizations.

What to expect

As with all public art experiences curated by VenUS, the festival blends different languages:

• New murals created by urban artists, transforming walls and public spaces into neighborhood stories;
• Street art workshops open to young people, schools, and residents;
• Walks and tours to discover the artworks and history of Casal Bertone, from Pasolini's cinema to the INA-Casa popular architecture;
• Meetings and talks on public art, urban regeneration, and gender equality.

A project supported by Roma Capitale

Mamma(che)Roma! is one of the projects selected by the «Roma Creativa 365. Culture all year round» public call, the program through which Roma Capitale and Zètema Progetto Cultura support the spread of culture in all the city's neighborhoods, even outside the center. The choice of Casal Bertone confirms the festival's vocation: to bring quality contemporary art to a historic Roman suburb, enhancing its memory and restoring new spaces of beauty and social life in the Lazio region.

Casal Bertone, a neighborhood that tells the story of Rome

Born from early 20th-century urban planning and grown through post-war public housing, Casal Bertone is one of those «real» neighborhoods that tell the story of everyday Rome, far from the postcards of the historic center. This is where street art finds fertile ground: walls, underpasses, and courtyards become open-air canvases, and the festival becomes an opportunity to rediscover an authentic piece of the Capital on foot.