Smart Life Festival
The digital culture festival of Modena
About Smart Life Festival
Modena, capital of digital culture
The Smart Life Festival is one of the most recognizable events in the cultural calendar of Modena, in Emilia-Romagna. Born in 2016 as Modena Smart Life, the festival annually reflects on the impact of digital technologies on daily life, bringing together scientists, artists, communicators, businesses, schools, and citizens. The format is that of a distributed festival: for four days, the historic center is filled with meetings, debates, exhibitions, and performances, all with free admission.
A program that intertwines different knowledge
Each edition revolves around a central theme and is divided into numerous thematic focuses ranging from technology to art, from music to school, from ecology to sport, from health to mobility, from work to justice, up to food and society. This multidisciplinary structure allows for the digital world to be approached from very different perspectives, making the festival suitable for both professionals and the general public, including families and schools, who are involved with dedicated workshops.
Venues in the heart of Modena
The festival uses some of the most beautiful locations in the city of the Municipality of Modena: the Fondazione Collegio San Carlo with its theater and halls, the Church of San Carlo, Piazza Mazzini, the Galleria Europa, as well as schools, libraries, and cultural spaces such as Palazzo Santa Margherita and the Fondazione Ago Modena Fabbriche Culturali. The distribution of events across multiple venues invites the public to explore the historic center, discovering the city's heritage at the same time.
A network event
The Smart Life Festival is the result of broad collaboration between the Municipality of Modena, the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, the Fondazione Collegio San Carlo, the Fondazione Ago, and numerous local organizations and international partners. It is part of the Modena City of Festivals project, which enhances city events from a tourism and cultural perspective. Over the years, the festival stage has hosted prominent international voices in the debate on digital technology, art, and society.
Why it's worth attending
More than just a technological review, the Smart Life Festival is an opportunity to understand the present and imagine the future. The quality of the guests, the free admission to events, and the atmosphere of a livable and welcoming city like Modena, in the heart of the Emilian province, make it an ideal destination for an autumn weekend of culture, reflection, and curiosity.
Smart Life Festival — edition 2026
IntelligenzE: the 2026 theme
The 2026 edition of the Smart Life Festival in Modena is dedicated to the theme IntelligenzE. Natural, Artificial, and Human in the Age of Complexity, announced at the end of the previous edition. The festival takes place from October 15 to 18, 2026, in various locations in the historic center, with free admission to all events.
The edition is preceded by some previews and an introductory path: among the announced events, an Open Day for discussion between local entities and organizations, and the DevFest Modena event, scheduled for early October, dedicated to the developer community and the theme of intelligences.
As is tradition, the program will be divided into numerous thematic focuses – from technology to art, from school to health, from ecology to society – with talks by national and international guests, workshops for schools, and artistic installations.
Programme Smart Life Festival 2026
The detailed program for the 2026 edition, including guests, talks, and schedules, will be published by the organizers in the weeks preceding the event on the official website smartlifefestival.it.
The usual structure of the festival includes:
- Talks and debates with scientists, communicators, and artists, mainly hosted at the Fondazione Collegio San Carlo;
- Workshops and labs for schools and families;
- Exhibitions and artistic installations in cultural spaces in the center;
- Performances and scattered events in the squares.
Among the previews already announced, an opening event to the introductory path with talks and the DevFest Modena event dedicated to developers. The names of the speakers for the main festival will be announced with the publication of the official program.
Highlights Smart Life Festival 2026
Theme of the edition: 'IntelligenzE. Natural, Artificial, and Human in the Age of Complexity'. Four days spread throughout the center of Modena, all with free admission, featuring talks, workshops, and installations. Preview with DevFest Modena dedicated to the developer community.
Prices Smart Life Festival 2026
Practical information — Smart Life Festival
When
The 2026 edition is scheduled from October 15 to 18, 2026.
Where
Modena, in various locations in the historic center: Fondazione Collegio San Carlo (Via San Carlo 5), Church of San Carlo, Piazza Mazzini, Galleria Europa, and other cultural spaces in the city.
How to get there
By train: Modena station is on the Milan-Bologna line and is a short walk from the center. By car: take the Modena Nord or Modena Sud exit from the A1 highway, with parking available in areas near the historic center (ZTL - Limited Traffic Zone). By plane: Bologna airport is about 40 km away.
Admission
All events are free admission; some talks and workshops require booking until seats are filled.
Information
Official website smartlifefestival.it and email [email protected].
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Where does it take place — Smart Life Festival
Fondazione Collegio San Carlo e sedi diffuse
Via San Carlo 5, 41121 Modena