Queer Summer Festival - Queer the Future

The Queer Summer Festival in Rome

The Queer Summer Festival is a celebration of queer art and culture that enlivens various spaces throughout Rome, Lazio, as summer draws to a close. Conceived and directed by the duo Karma B and Margò Paciotti, the festival weaves together performing arts, music, stand-up comedy, talks, installations, and contemporary art, transforming the city into a widespread laboratory for sharing and exchange.

«Queer the Future»

The slogan Queer the Future reflects the festival's core mission: to look ahead and imagine a more inclusive and responsible future through art. The event was created to support artists and creatives of all ages, genders, and backgrounds, offering them a space for self-representation without intermediaries. "We don't need anyone else to tell our feelings and emotions," is the declaration that accompanies the project.

Past Editions

The first edition, titled Humanities, took place from August 31 to September 17, 2023, across Bar.lina, Monk Roma, Largo Venue, and the Centrale Preneste Teatro. The second edition, Queer the Future, was held from August 30 to September 15, 2024, with the support of Roma Capitale, expanding both the map of venues and the range of artistic disciplines.

The Venues

The festival has an itinerant and decentralized spirit: events are spread across multiple districts of Rome, from Monk Roma and Bar.lina in the eastern quadrant to the scenic Piazza del Gianicolo, passing through the Alcazar Garden and the Centrale Preneste Teatro. This distributed geography is part of the project's identity, conceived as a shared hub rather than a single stage.

What to Expect

• Drag shows, cabaret, and stand-up comedy;
• Live concerts and musical performances;
• Talks and meetings with queer artists and cultural figures;
• Installations, photography exhibitions, and contemporary art;
• Workshops and digital formats accessible online.

Rome and Lazio

With the Queer Summer Festival, the City of Rome and the Lazio Region confirm their status as fertile ground for an increasingly visible and structured queer cultural scene. The same team also organizes the Drag Me Up festival in the autumn, showcasing an artistic journey that spans the entire year in the capital.