Roccambolesca - Festival of Art

An art festival in the Rocca of Meldola

Roccambolesca - Festival of Art is one of the most anticipated cultural events of the summer in the municipality of Meldola, in the province of Forlì-Cesena, in Emilia-Romagna. Reaching its seventh edition in 2026, the festival was born from the initiative of Pro Loco Città di Meldola in close collaboration with the Municipality and with the contribution of local galleries and artists. The setting is the evocative Rocca of Meldola, the ancient fortress that dominates the town, transformed for the occasion into a large open-air exhibition space.

A collective exhibition of painting, sculpture, and photography

The heart of Roccambolesca is a collective exhibition that brings together dozens of artists: paintings, sculptures, photographs, and installations dialogue within the walls of the Rocca, often accompanied by live music, aperitifs, and scenographic installations. Over the years, the exhibition has involved galleries and artist collectives, with curated paths that enhance both established names and young talents, in an informal and participatory atmosphere that brings contemporary art closer to the general public.

Waiting for Roccambolesca

The 2026 edition is preceded by the exhibition "Waiting for Roccambolesca", set up from June 3rd to 16th at Galleria 21, in via Roma 21 in Meldola. The exhibition, curated by Francesca Caldari, brings together the paintings of the artist Onorio Bravi with the sculptures of Luciano Navacchia, in a path dedicated to memory and its reinterpretation. It is the ideal preview that accompanies the public towards the evenings at the Rocca.

Music, shows, and gastronomy

Roccambolesca is not just art to look at: every evening the Rocca comes alive with concerts and live performances, from swing to jazz, from acoustic duos to karaoke, in a program designed to accompany the visit to the works. There is also a gastronomic area, with catering service and evening aperitifs curated by volunteers, making the festival an occasion for conviviality for families, art lovers, and passing visitors.

Meldola and the Bidente Valley

Located along the Bidente Valley, at the gates of the Forlì Apennines, Meldola preserves a compact historic center and its imposing medieval Rocca. Roccambolesca represents an identity moment of cultural openness for the village, capable of attracting visitors from all over Romagna and of intertwining art, tradition, and hospitality in a context of great charm.