Santarcangelo Festival
International festival of theatre and performing arts in the square
About Santarcangelo Festival
The oldest performing arts festival in Italy
Santarcangelo Festival is a historic event that has animated the village of Santarcangelo di Romagna, in the province of Rimini, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, every summer since 1971. It is the oldest Italian festival dedicated to contemporary theatre and performing arts, and over time it has become a European reference point for those seeking the most radical and current stage research. For ten days, the medieval historic centre transforms into a festival city: squares, alleys, theatres, parks, and even spaces usually closed to the public become stages for hundreds of events.
A city crossed by performance
The festival's formula is total diffusion throughout the territory. Piazza Ganganelli, the Teatro Il Lavatoio, Parco Baden Powell, and numerous other locations in the town host theatre shows, dance performances, urban performances, public talks, and concerts. The programme intertwines major names on the international scene with emerging young artists, with a strong focus on national premieres and original productions.
Research, body, and civil engagement
Santarcangelo Festival stands out for its courageous artistic direction, which places the body at the centre as a political space and engages with the most pressing issues of the present: feminist and queer practices, anti-racist and decolonial approaches, ecology, vulnerability, and collective resistance. It is not a showcase for entertainment, but a living laboratory where the public is invited to participate, get involved, and see the world from new perspectives.
The nights of Imbosco
Alongside the daytime programming, the festival nights come alive at Imbosco, the nocturnal space that hosts DJ sets, music, and social gatherings until late, often curated with queer collectives and independent realities. It is here that the community dimension of the festival reaches its peak, transforming Santarcangelo into a meeting point for artists, professionals, and spectators from all over Europe.
A village to discover
Attending the festival is also an opportunity to discover Santarcangelo di Romagna, a gem of the Valmarecchia with its medieval village, tuff caves, Rocca Malatestiana fortress, and the authentic atmosphere of Romagna. Its proximity to Rimini and the Adriatic coast makes the town easily accessible and ideal for combining culture, sea, and good food.
Santarcangelo Festival — edition 2026
The 56th edition of Santarcangelo Festival brings the theme "deep pressures" to Santarcangelo di Romagna, understood as a reflection on the political, social, economic, and emotional pressures that characterize the present, explored through the body as a political space and living archive. It is the final year under the artistic direction of Tomasz Kirenczuk, before the baton passes to Luigi Noah De Angelis for the following three-year period.
The programme brings together 35 companies, Italian and international, including 22 national premieres, for over 100 events spread across the town's venues. Cooperation extends to the region, involving the province of Forlì-Cesena and San Marino.
Programme Santarcangelo Festival 2026
Dates and format
From July 3 to 12, 2026, ten days of programming spread throughout the historic centre of Santarcangelo di Romagna. Over 100 events including shows, performances, talks, and participatory moments, featuring 35 companies and 22 national premieres.
Announced shows and artists
- Ali Chahrour (Lebanon) — When I Saw the Sea, dance and music
- Marah Haj Hussein & Nur Garabli — In relation to whom?
- Jana Jacuka — HA, continuous laughter performance
- Wojciech Grudziński — BOW, in Piazza Ganganelli
- Yuck Miranda (Mozambique) — Homem Novo
- Wissal Houbabi — SAWT, exploring the Moroccan Aita practice
- Agnietė Lisičkinaitė & Igor Shugaleev — CLAP & SLAP
- Bast Hippocrate — Joyaux Lourdement Sous-estimés
- Gaetano Palermo & Michele Petrosino — Stanza (Santarcangelo), intimate one-to-one performance
- Ewa Dziarnowska (Poland) and Catol Teixeira (Brazil) among the protagonists of contemporary dance
Venues
- Piazza Ganganelli
- Teatro Il Lavatoio
- ITSE Molari
- Parco Baden Powell
- Imbosco — the festival's night space
Nights at Imbosco
The evenings continue at Imbosco with 9 DJ sets, also programmed with independent queer collectives, for the more communal and nocturnal dimension of the festival.
Highlights Santarcangelo Festival 2026
Prices Santarcangelo Festival 2026
Practical information — Santarcangelo Festival
How to get there
Santarcangelo di Romagna is located a few kilometres from Rimini. By train, Santarcangelo station is on the Bologna-Ancona line; by car, it can be reached from the A14 (Rimini Nord exit) and the SS9 Via Emilia. The nearest airport is "Federico Fellini" in Rimini.
Tickets
Single ticket full price €15, reduced €13. Pass for 5 shows €60 (under 26: €50). Ticket office and information: [email protected], tel. +39 0541 626185.
Tips
The festival takes place in July in the heart of the historic centre: book accommodation in Santarcangelo or nearby Rimini in advance. Many performances are itinerant or outdoors: wear comfortable shoes and arrive early for limited-capacity venues.
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 — Santarcangelo Festival
Centro storico di Santarcangelo di Romagna
Via Andrea Costa 28, 47822 Santarcangelo di Romagna