So'Cultura

So'Cultura: bringing culture back to the library

So'Cultura is a series of events in the Soccavo neighborhood of Naples designed to breathe new life into local cultural spaces. The heart of the festival is the Giustino Fortunato Municipal Library in Piazza Giovanni XXIII, a public hub in the 9th Municipality that transforms for several weeks into a vibrant space for meetings, readings, and dialogue between authors, artists, and the community.

The title plays on the neighborhood's name and clearly states the project's goal: culture not as a top-down program, but as a daily practice of reclaiming space. In a part of the city that often makes headlines for the wrong reasons, So'Cultura chooses a different path, focusing on books, dialogue, and sharing.

A program spread across February and April

The festival takes place over several weeks between February and April, with events scheduled at times designed to be accessible to younger audiences. Each meeting centers on a book or a workshop, with the author present to discuss their work and answer questions from the audience.

• Book presentations featuring authors from Naples and the Campania region
• Creative workshops focused on community building
• Art discussions and contemporary creative languages
• Reading and debate sessions open to all ages

Admission to all events is free, with no tickets required—a choice consistent with the public nature of the venue hosting the festival.

The 2025 edition, from Juliano to Dog

The 2025 cycle opened on February 15th at 10:30 AM with the presentation of Juliano - L'uomo nato due volte by Deborah Divertito. On March 8th, the workshop Un mattoncino lega l'altro: costruiamo condivisione focused on creativity and collaboration. On March 29th, Giancarlo Piacci presented Nostra Signora dei Fulmini, while on April 5th, the focus shifted to Silence is a Gift by Ciro Battiloro, a reflection on the value of silence and listening. The festival concluded on April 12th with Dog by Valentina Galluccio, known as VAGA.

The Giustino Fortunato Library, the heart of the project

Named after the Southern Italian scholar Giustino Fortunato, the Soccavo municipal library is part of the City of Naples library network. Open to the public from Monday to Friday, it hosts public readings, seminars, workshops, and book presentations throughout the year. So'Cultura highlights its mission, turning the reading room into a small neighborhood agora.

Soccavo: the Naples you don't expect

Soccavo is located in the western part of Naples, on the edge of the Phlegraean Fields, near Fuorigrotta and the Camaldoli hill. It is a populous, youthful neighborhood that grew rapidly in the second half of the 20th century, where grassroots associations and cultural initiatives have built a dense network of activities over the years. Participating in So'Cultura is a great way to explore this part of the city and discover its daily life, far from the tourist circuits of the historic center.

Why it's worth attending

Book lovers will find intimate, unfiltered encounters with authors, a refreshing change from large-scale book fairs. Locals will find a public space reclaimed for the community and a calendar that brings continuity to local cultural life. In both cases, So'Cultura confirms that in Campania, the most interesting culture often emerges far from the most famous stages, in the neighborhood libraries that remain open all year round.