Premio Avezzano – Contemporary Art

A historic exhibition reborn

The Premio Avezzano is among the oldest and most prestigious art exhibitions in Central-Southern Italy. Founded in 1949, it accompanied some of the most significant seasons of Italian artistic experimentation for over half a century, hosting national and international figures such as Mario Schifano, Luigi Veronesi, Getulio Alviani, Pino Pascali, and Mauro Reggiani. After twenty-six editions and a long twenty-five-year suspension, the event was reborn in 2026 with its 27th edition, restoring an important chapter of contemporary art history to the city of Marsica.

The Orsini-Colonna Castle, the event's setting

The exhibition takes place inside the Orsini-Colonna Castle, one of the iconic landmarks of Avezzano, in the heart of the Marsica region, in the province of L'Aquila. The halls of the 16th-century manor house host the works on display, creating a suggestive dialogue between the city's architectural heritage and contemporary artistic research. Over the decades, the Premio has not only been a place for exhibition and debate but also a cultural engine: many of the works collected across the various editions have become part of the Civic Art Gallery of Modern Art of Avezzano.

The three sections of the 27th edition

The 2026 edition, curated by art historian and critic Massimo Bignardi, is divided into three major sections designed to reflect the complexity of the dialogue between historical modernity and contemporary practices:

• Expressions of Italian Painting: an exhibition of fifteen Italian painters from different generations, with a focus on younger voices. The award for the 27th edition was granted to Italo Bressan for his work Dal lato opposto del tempo.
• Engraved Signs of the 20th Century: a section dedicated to graphic art and engraving from the last century, featuring works by masters such as Picasso, Miró, Braque, Magritte, Arp, and Burri.
• Tribute to Claudio Verna: a monographic section dedicated to the abstract painter born in Guardiagrele in 1937, one of the protagonists of Italian analytical painting.

A project of identity and promotion

The return of the Premio is part of a broader cultural revitalization project promoted by the Municipality of Avezzano. For the municipal administration, the exhibition represents a further boost and renewal for the city, while the artistic direction reaffirms the role of art as a privileged tool for knowledge. With its works sourced from public and private collections, the event reaffirms the bond between Avezzano, Abruzzo, and the great tradition of 20th-century and contemporary Italian painting.