Noir Piceno – National Festival of Literature and Arts

A noir festival in the heart of Piceno

The Noir Piceno – National Festival of Literature and Arts is a cultural event that takes place in Centobuchi, a populous hamlet of the Municipality of Monteprandone, in the province of Ascoli Piceno, in southern Marche. Conceived and curated by the Alchimie d'Arte association, the festival intertwines two languages that rarely meet: noir and crime fiction on one hand, and visual arts on the other. Each evening is in fact structured as a dialogue between word and image, where the presentation of a book is accompanied by an exhibition of paintings and live readings.

What it's like: evenings, authors, and art

The heart of Noir Piceno is the meetings with writers: Italian authors of crime and noir genres present their novels to the public, often accompanied by a narrator who voices selected passages. Over the years, the festival has hosted renowned names in genre fiction such as Gino Marchitelli, Maria Patrizia Klum, Ciro Pinto, and many others, with titles ranging from urban thrillers to historical noir. Alongside the literary meetings, there is a group art exhibition featuring works by local artists, set up in the same venues that host the presentations.

The venues: Centobuchi and the Centro GiovArti

The main venue is the Centro GiovArti in Centobuchi, supplemented from time to time by other spaces in the town such as the meeting room in Piazza dell'Unità or the Centro Pacetti. The choice of a village on the Piceno coast, a few kilometers from San Benedetto del Tronto and the border with Abruzzo, gives the festival an intimate and community-focused character, far from large-scale events but capable of attracting a loyal audience.

Direction and organization

The festival is promoted by the Alchimie d'Arte association, with artistic direction by Enrica Consorti and presidency by Domenico Parlamenti, in collaboration with local entities such as Auser and Avis Monteprandone, and with the patronage of the Municipality of Monteprandone and the Marche Region. Admission to the events is free, confirming the educational and popular vocation of the festival.

Why it's worth it

• A niche festival entirely dedicated to noir and crime fiction, rare in the Marche region.
• The original fusion of literature and visual arts.
• Direct encounters with authors in a cozy and familiar atmosphere.
• Free admission and deep roots in the community of Centobuchi and Monteprandone.