Rome Independent Songwriter Festival
A widespread showcase of Rome's independent singer-songwriter scene, with no winners or rankings
About Independent Songwriter Festival
A widespread festival in the heart of Rome's neighborhoods
The Rome Independent Songwriter Festival is not an event concentrated into a single weekend, but a series of performances that unfold throughout the calendar year, with stages distributed across various locations in the Municipality of Rome, within the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the Lazio region. Independent bookstores, record shops, museum spaces, and neighborhood venues host the public, transforming ordinary places into small stages dedicated to the sung word. It is a sentimental geography that touches primarily East Rome — Torpignattara, Centocelle, the Prenestino area, and Pigneto — territories where the community fabric is vibrant and where singer-songwriter music has found a loyal audience over the years.
The formula: no winners, just songs
The most recognizable feature of the event is the absence of competition. No prizes are awarded, no rankings are compiled, and there is no jury to select a champion: every artist is valued for their own uniqueness. Singer-songwriters present original tracks, often accompanied only by a guitar, in an intimate format that brings the song back to its essential dimension. The evenings alternate between short musical sets, poetic interludes, and moments of conversation with the audience, led by presenters who weave the narrative thread together.
A festival organized in multiple chapters
Each edition consists of several parts, announced progressively over the months. The March 8th appointment has become a classic: under the title L'8 con la Musica (March 8th with Music), the festival dedicates an entire evening to female creativity, inviting independent female singer-songwriters to the stage and pairing songs with poetic readings. The summer stops move outdoors or into more informal spaces, while autumn brings the festival back to the venues of Pigneto and neighboring districts. The result is a mobile calendar that can be followed stage by stage or caught in a single evening.
Music and social commitment
Alongside its artistic dimension, the festival asserts an explicit civic vocation. The slogan chosen for the 2026 summer chapter, «Write songs, don't make war», perfectly summarizes the spirit of the event: the singer-songwriter tradition as a tool for collective reflection on peace, rights, and coexistence. These are not political rallies set to music, but a repertoire that is not afraid to take a stand, in the tradition of Italian songwriting that has always intertwined intimacy with a political gaze.
Roma Cantautori, the association holding the scene together
The project was born and grew thanks to the Roma Cantautori association, an entity that promotes and enhances independent songwriting in the Capital. Its work does not end with the festival evenings: the network it has built connects authors, musicians, poets, and small cultural spaces, offering emerging artists a real and continuous showcase in a city where accessible stages are increasingly rare.
Who is it for?
- Those looking for free, high-quality live music away from the mainstream circuits;
- Those who love Italian singer-songwriter music and want to discover new voices before they become famous;
- Readers and frequenters of independent bookstores, who will find a familiar environment here;
- Those who live in the East Rome neighborhoods and want to experience their most authentic cultural life;
- Visitors who desire a Roman evening different from the classic tourist routes.
The atmosphere of the evenings
The stops take place in intimate spaces, with a few dozen seats and a cozy, participatory atmosphere. It is often possible to dine or have a drink on-site, with simple, affordable options offered by the host venues. However, admission to the concerts remains free, a choice consistent with the idea that singer-songwriter music should remain a good accessible to everyone.
Independent Songwriter Festival — edition 2026
11th edition: women, peace, and songs
The eleventh edition of the festival confirmed the decentralized format that characterizes the event, with appointments distributed over time and throughout the urban space of Rome. The first part, on Sunday, March 8th at 6:00 PM at Polmone Pulsante, coincided with International Women's Day: under the title L'8 con la Musica, artists such as Ari, Lalla Bertolini, Edy Paolini, Sara Bini with Alessandro Cives, Sara Milani, Laura Mirò, Lulù, and Giava took turns on stage, with poetic interventions by Patrizia Palombi. At the end of the evening, it was possible to visit the underground spaces of Polmone Pulsante, which house the permanent exhibition of Bionic Art installations by master Saverio Ungheri and the «Energy, Time and Consciousness» room dedicated to Federico Kampf.
The summer chapter at the aTODOMODO Bookstore
The third chapter of the edition took place on Friday, June 26th, starting at 9:00 PM at the aTODOMODO Bookstore at Via Bellegra 46, in the Torpignattara and Centocelle quadrant, with a program explicitly pacifist, summarized by the slogan «Write songs, don't make war». The stage featured Corde Scoperte, Nuccio Castellino, Raffaele Balzano, Alessandro Cives, Il Professore, Siderale, Maurizio Catroppa, Istmo, Franco Bucefalo, and Eleonora Bernardi. The evening was hosted by Gino Basile and Angela Maria Greco.
Always free
As per the festival's tradition, admission to all evenings remained free, with no winners or rankings. At the aTODOMODO Bookstore, a dinner with a «dish of the day» was available for 10 euros upon reservation.
Programme Independent Songwriter Festival 2026
Sunday, March 8, 2026 — Polmone Pulsante, 6:00 PM
Part One — «L'8 con la Musica», an evening dedicated to female creativity on International Women's Day.
- Ari
- Lalla Bertolini
- Edy Paolini
- Sara Bini with Alessandro Cives
- Sara Milani
- Laura Mirò
- Lulù
- Giava
- Poetic interventions by Patrizia Palombi
Followed by a visit to the underground museum spaces of Polmone Pulsante (Bionic Art by Saverio Ungheri; «Energy, Time and Consciousness» room dedicated to Federico Kampf).
Friday, June 26, 2026 — aTODOMODO Bookstore, Via Bellegra 46, 9:00 PM
«Write songs, don't make war», a chapter dedicated to pacifism and independent creativity. Hosted by Gino Basile and Angela Maria Greco.
- Corde Scoperte
- Nuccio Castellino
- Raffaele Balzano
- Alessandro Cives
- Il Professore
- Siderale
- Maurizio Catroppa
- Istmo
- Franco Bucefalo
- Eleonora Bernardi
Highlights Independent Songwriter Festival 2026
- «L'8 con la Musica»: an evening entirely entrusted to female singer-songwriters of the Roman independent scene, on March 8th at Polmone Pulsante.
- «Write songs, don't make war»: ten original projects for an evening of music and social commitment at the aTODOMODO Bookstore.
- The formula with no winners or rankings, which values every artist for their uniqueness.
- Original tracks presented live, in an intimate and close-up format.
- Visits to the museum spaces of Polmone Pulsante at the end of the March stop.
- Always free admission, in neighborhood venues of East Rome.
Prices Independent Songwriter Festival 2026
Practical information — Independent Songwriter Festival
How to get there
The main venues are located in the eastern area of Rome. For the aTODOMODO Bookstore (Via Bellegra 46, Torpignattara/Centocelle district), you can use Metro C, getting off at Malatesta or Pigneto, or take the surface lines that run along Via Casilina and Via dei Platani. Those arriving by train should get off at Roma Termini and continue on Metro A to San Giovanni, then change to Metro C. Parking in the area is difficult in the evening hours: public transport is highly recommended.
Admission and prices
Admission to the concerts is free. In some venues, it is possible to have dinner with fixed-price menus (approximately 10 euros for the dish of the day at the aTODOMODO Bookstore), with mandatory reservations.
Reservations and information
Reservations for dinner and information on individual stops can be made via WhatsApp at +39 338 2987665 or on the Roma Cantautori Facebook page, where the updated program is announced from time to time.
Tips
The spaces are small: it is advisable to arrive well in advance of the start time to find a seat. Evenings generally begin between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM, depending on the season.
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Where does it take place — Independent Songwriter Festival
Libreria aTODOMODO (e altre sedi romane)
Via Bellegra 46, 00171 Roma