Rome Open Mic

Rome Open Mic: emerging music at the heart of the Capital

Rome Open Mic is the new cultural and musical festival that the Municipality of Rome, in the Lazio region, dedicates to emerging young artists. Conceived and promoted by the Cives Romanus APS association with the support of the Department of Culture of Roma Capitale, the event enlivens the Roman summer from July 2 to September 24, 2026, offering singer-songwriters, musicians, and bands aged 18 to 35 an entirely free path that combines training, live performances, and the creation of a genuine youth artistic network.

A journey, not a competition

The festival's philosophy is clear: no competition, no juries, no winners. Rome Open Mic presents itself as a collective space for collaboration, where live music becomes a civic gesture and an opportunity for shared growth. Through a public call, the artistic direction entrusted to Rita De Angelis selects up to twenty young artists, invited to present original songs in Italian and test themselves in front of an audience.

Training and mentoring

The core of the project consists of a series of free workshops hosted at Casa Onda, on Via Val Maggia, dedicated to the practical aspects of the music profession: stage presence and stage management, vocal technique, industry knowledge, and communication strategies. Accompanying the participants in the mentoring process are Asja Martorelli and Sergio Gabriele Bruni, who guide the young artists in preparing their performances.

Music leaves the historic center

One of the founding principles of Rome Open Mic is its deep connection to the local territory: the festival deliberately chooses to enliven peripheral municipalities, bringing original music far from the most touristy destinations. Performances and events are spread between Parco Tiburtino III (Municipality IV), the Teatro Artificio on Via Monte Ruggero, and Casa Onda on Via Val Maggia (Municipality III), up to the "A. Cerrone" Cinema Hall on Via Natale Balbiani (Municipality VI), which hosts the final event.

An initiative for the city

Inclusion, cultural sustainability, space for youth creativity, and the blending of musical styles are the values that guide the project. With its first edition, Rome Open Mic joins the Estate Romana calendar as a piece dedicated to the new generations of Italian song, in a Region, Lazio, and a city, Rome, that have always been a crossroads of cultures and artistic languages.