National Festival of Youth Theatre

A History of Almost Forty Years

Born in 1986, the National Festival of Youth Theatre in Marano sul Panaro is one of Italy's longest-running showcases dedicated to theatre made by young people. Promoted by the Unione Terre di Castelli, the Fondazione di Vignola, and the Laboratorio Culturale APS, with the support of the Emilia-Romagna Region, the festival has transformed this small municipality in the Province of Modena into a national reference point for educational and school theatre over the years.

Theatre as a Tool for Growth

The heart of the event is not the big names, but the children, young people, and teenagers who, accompanied by teachers and educators, perform plays entirely prepared during the year. The festival is conceived as a space for comparison and exchange: the organizers consider theatre a very important tool for personal growth and development, capable of fostering relationships, emotions, and self-confidence.

2026 Edition: Masks in Theatre

The 41st edition, scheduled from May 9 to 16, 2026, is dedicated to the theme "Masks in Theatre", inspired by the Pirandello centenary. The performances take place at the Teatro di Kia in Marano sul Panaro, the main venue of the showcase, and in the theatres of the Municipalities of the Unione Terre di Castelli, particularly the Teatro Fabbri in Vignola and the Teatro La Venere in Savignano sul Panaro.

Mornings at Schools, Evenings for the Public

The program is divided into two time slots: in the morning, performances are reserved for school groups, while in the evening, the curtain rises for everyone, with free admission until seats are filled. This is how the festival manages to involve dozens of schools and groups and hundreds of young actors from different Italian regions every year.

• Where: Marano sul Panaro, Vignola, and Savignano sul Panaro (Province of Modena, Emilia-Romagna)
• When: May, every year
• Admission: free for evening performances open to the public
• Protagonists: schools, youth groups, and companies with actors aged 7 to 20

A Local Event

More than just a showcase, the Youth Theatre Festival is a community celebration that animates the villages of the Panaro valley for a week. For the audience, it is a rare opportunity to discover theatre experienced from the perspective of those who build it with passion, far from commercial circuits and close to the educational and collective value of the stage.