Persona Festival
A queer, interdisciplinary festival blending performing arts, cinema, music, and critical theory
About Persona Festival
A queer festival in the heart of Grecìa Salentina
Persona Festival is a queer, interdisciplinary event that brings Castrignano de' Greci to life every January. Located in the heart of Puglia, this small town in the Grecìa Salentina area hosts the festival at KORA – Centro del Contemporaneo, housed within the halls of the Palazzo Baronale De Gualtieris—a venue that has become a landmark for contemporary art and experimental music in Salento.
The festival's name reflects its guiding philosophy: Persona as an affirmation of the individual in their essential human condition, free from hierarchies or distinctions. Born as a space for research and listening, the festival aims to be a place where non-conforming subjectivities find a voice, presence, and solidarity, turning the margins into a center and culture into a tool for liberation.
Performing arts, cinema, music, and critical theory
The program is intentionally cross-disciplinary, exploring diverse languages over two days:
- Talks and meetings on rights, culture, and practices against LGBTQIA+ discrimination in the region;
- Performances and contemporary theatre by guest companies;
- Cinema, featuring selections of short films and documentaries in collaboration with festivals such as the Sicilia Queer Filmfest;
- Readings and literary presentations with comic book authors and figures from the queer scene;
- Visual arts, with photography and visual research exhibitions throughout the center;
- Live music and DJ sets to close each evening.
Organizers
Persona Festival is conceived and organized by the DEGENERE association. It is selected and supported by the Regional Unique Schedule of Cultural and Performing Arts Activities in Puglia, promoted by the Puglia Region. The event is held under the patronage of the Municipality of Castrignano de' Greci and is produced in collaboration with KORA – Centro del Contemporaneo and organizations such as the Fuck Normality Festival.
A winter highlight for Salento
During January, when tourism in Salento slows down, Persona Festival brings an attentive and curious audience to a small inland village, drawing artists, activists, and spectators from all over Puglia and beyond. It is a unique opportunity to discover Castrignano de' Greci, its Grika identity, and one of the most vibrant cultural hubs of contemporary Salento.
Persona Festival — edition 2026
Persona Festival 2026 – Fourth Edition
The fourth edition of Persona Festival took place on January 30 and 31, 2026, in the spaces of KORA – Centro del Contemporaneo in Castrignano de' Greci (Lecce), confirming its status as a queer and interdisciplinary space dedicated to performing arts, music, cinema, and critical thought.
The evening of Friday, January 30 opened at 8:00 PM in the Sala Granai with the talk «Bodies, rights, culture: practices against LGBTQIA+ discrimination in the territories», followed at 9:30 PM by the performance MANIFESTO by Compagnia Elektra, a selection of queer cinema, and, in closing, a live set by Jomoon.
The day of Saturday, January 31 featured a reading by Fumettibrutti at 8:00 PM, a selection of short films created in collaboration with the Sicilia Queer Filmfest, and, from 11:00 PM, the closing party with DJ sets by Populous, Safffo/Luma, and Diskovenganza. Both days hosted a visual arts section in the Sala Forni.
Programme Persona Festival 2026
Friday, January 30, 2026
- 8:00 PM – Talk «Bodies, rights, culture: practices against LGBTQIA+ discrimination in the territories» (Sala Granai)
- 9:30 PM – Performance MANIFESTO by Compagnia Elektra
- 9:45 PM – Cinema selection (Summer Within, Fragments, Loveboard, A Bird Hit My Window)
- 11:30 PM – Live Jomoon
Saturday, January 31, 2026
- 8:00 PM – Reading by Fumettibrutti (introduced by Fergs)
- 9:30 PM – Short films in collaboration with Sicilia Queer Filmfest (Daria's Night Flowers, Gigi, Misure, Luminous Matter)
- 11:00 PM – DJ set and party: Populous, Safffo/Luma, Diskovenganza
Visual arts section in the Sala Forni for both days.
Highlights Persona Festival 2026
- Reading by Fumettibrutti
- Performance MANIFESTO by Compagnia Elektra
- Live set by Jomoon
- DJ sets with Populous, Luma, and Diskovenganza
- Cinema selection with Sicilia Queer Filmfest
Prices Persona Festival 2026
Practical information — Persona Festival
Location
KORA – Centro del Contemporaneo, Palazzo Baronale De Gualtieris, Via Vittorio Emanuele 19, Castrignano de' Greci (LE), Puglia.
Getting there
By car: from Lecce, you can reach Castrignano de' Greci in about 30-40 minutes by taking the roads towards Grecìa Salentina. By train: the reference station is Lecce, served by Trenitalia, from where you can continue with Ferrovie del Sud Est or by car. Nearest airport: Brindisi-Salento.
Tickets and information
Admissions, guest lists, and bookings are managed through the festival's official channels and platforms like Xceed. For the updated program, schedules, and access details, we recommend checking the KORA website (k-ora.it) and the Persona Festival social media channels.
Contact: +39 366 319 95 32 – [email protected]
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Where does it take place — Persona Festival
KORA – Centro del Contemporaneo (Palazzo Baronale De Gualtieris)
Via Vittorio Emanuele 19, 73020 Castrignano de' Greci