Ratatà Festival
The festival of illustration, comics, and independent publishing in Jesi
About Ratatà
A benchmark for contemporary drawing
Ratatà Festival is one of the most vibrant events in the Italian scene dedicated to illustration, comics, visual art, and independent publishing. Founded in 2014 in Macerata from the collaboration between artists, comic artists, illustrators, publishers, and social spaces, over the years it has become a reference point among independent and artist festivals at a European level, capable of bringing together national and international authors, exhibitions, workshops, meetings, and events centered around the many forms of contemporary drawing.
From Macerata to Jesi
Since 2024, the festival has found its home in Jesi, in the province of Ancona, in the heart of the Marche region, where it animates the historic center and its palaces: the Civic Museums of Palazzo Pianetti, Palazzo Santoni, the Church of San Bernardo, the Acca Academy, and numerous commercial and cultural spaces in the city. The event is organized by the Associazione Ratatà APS, whose founders include artists Nicola Alessandrini and Lisa Gelli, creators of the renowned mural "Specie Migranti" in Jesi.
Two souls: the winter edition and ECHOES
The festival takes place in two complementary moments. The winter edition, in December, is the best known: a large exhibition market with independent publishers, artistic collectives, academy students, comic artists, and illustrators from all over Italy and Europe, accompanied by exhibitions, workshops, and musical evenings spread throughout the city. This is complemented by Ratatà ECHOES, a more experimental and site-specific spring edition, dedicated to the dialogue between contemporary art and participatory practices.
ECHOES edition 02: Frederick II of Swabia
The 2026 edition, Ratatà ECHOES edition 02 (April 14-19, 2026), is dedicated to the figure of Frederick II of Swabia, the "Stupor Mundi", reinterpreted through the eyes of international artists active in the contemporary scene. The project is developed around three thematic focal points: community dialogue through drawing, the birth of Frederick II and the hyper-exposure of the body, and the figure of the sovereign as a builder of fortresses. Exhibitions, Erasmus+ workshops, residencies with European academies, dj-sets, and convivial moments make up a widespread program across the city's venues.
An international network
Ratatà is the result of a dense network of collaborations: in addition to the Municipality of Jesi and the city's Urban Museum Network, the festival works with the Academy of Fine Arts of Macerata, the Academy of Fine Arts of Cluj-Napoca (Romania), the French entity Editiones Greges, and the Acca Academy of Jesi, creating an event that intertwines training, artistic research, and participation.
Ratatà — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of Ratatà Festival, ECHOES edition 02, took place in Jesi from April 14 to 19, 2026, dedicated to the figure of Frederick II of Swabia viewed through the lens of international artists. The program combined workshops, exhibitions, and musical events spread across the historic center, while some exhibitions remained open after the closing: "Gràphos 2" until April 26th and an exhibition at Palazzo Pianetti until May 17th.
Programme Ratatà 2026
Workshops (Erasmus+ program)
- April 14 — "Community Dialogue: Rebel Frames", stop-motion workshop curated by Rullampo and Valeria Weerasinghe, at Acca Academy.
- April 14-18 — BIP echoes workshop with about 25 students and professors from five European academies (including the Academy of Fine Arts of Macerata and the Museums of Jesi). Exhibition of results on Saturday, April 19th at 5:00 PM in the Church of San Bernardo.
- Saturday, April 18, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM — "Drawing the Contemporary: Behind the Scenes of A Occhi Aperti", curated by the association Hamelin (Bologna), at Acca Academy, dedicated to the comic strip portrayal of the relationship between the individual and the landscape.
Exhibitions
- "Gesta/azioni" — curated by Ratatà, featuring Teresa Antignani, Noemi Vola, Marco Quadri, Brodo, and Roberto Alfano. Opening on Friday, April 17th at 6:30 PM at Palazzo Pianetti (Sale Betto Tesei).
- "Gràphos 2 — Between Myths and Legends" — curated by Mat Cenere, with 10 artists dedicated to the languages of drawing, neo-muralism, graffiti, and tattoo art. At Palazzo Santoni, open until April 26th, Thursday to Sunday from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Musical Events
- Friday, April 17 — 8:00 PM dj-set with Rokeya at Transylvania vinyl bar; 10:30 PM Fuoco Blu live + Brutta Botta dj-set at Under cocktail bar.
- Sunday, April 19 — 12:00 PM rhythmic lunch with DJs Johnny Bermuda, Volumetrica, Oskee, and Sguido Colombo.
Highlights Ratatà 2026
The three thematic focal points dedicated to Frederick II (community dialogue, birth and hyper-exposure of the body, the sovereign as a builder of fortresses), the collective exhibition "Gràphos 2" at Palazzo Santoni, and the international workshop BIP echoes with five European academies.
Prices Ratatà 2026
Practical information — Ratatà
Where
The events take place in the historic center of Jesi (Province of Ancona, Marche), between Palazzo Pianetti (Civic Museums), Palazzo Santoni, the Church of San Bernardo, the Acca Academy, and various city venues and spaces.
How to get there
By car: from the A14 motorway, take the Ancona Nord exit, then the SS76 towards Jesi. By train: Jesi station is on the Rome-Ancona line via Falconara. From Ancona-Falconara airport, Jesi is about 15 km away.
Admission
Many events (exhibitions, market, dj-sets) are free admission; registration may be required for workshops. It is advisable to check the updated program on the official website and social media channels of the festival.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Ratatà
Centro storico di Jesi (Palazzo Pianetti, Palazzo Santoni, Chiesa di San Bernardo, Acca Academy e altri spazi cittadini)