Spazio Mari
The cultural review of Tolentino between history, cinema, and future
About Spazio Mari
A Review That Tells the Story of Tolentino
Spazio Mari is the cultural event that transforms the Politeama Franco Moschini in Tolentino into a laboratory of ideas every spring. Born in 2024 on the initiative of the association Zagreus APS, the review is named after Luigi Mari, a figure linked to the civil and cultural history of the Marche municipality (in the Province of Macerata), and has established itself in a few editions as one of the most anticipated events in the city's calendar.
Culture, Memory, and a Look to the Future
The common thread of Spazio Mari is the dialogue between Tolentino's history and its future prospects. Each edition offers a multidisciplinary program that alternates academic conferences, live talks, film screenings, book presentations, artistic performances, and guided tours of often little-accessible places within the city's heritage. The review involves scholars, artists, architects, and cultural operators, also giving voice to themes usually on the margins of the official narrative, such as female art or the memory of almost forgotten local figures.
The Link with the Territory
Spazio Mari is not just a cultural event; it is an opportunity for the community to reclaim its identity. The editions have addressed crucial issues for the inland areas of the Marche region, from reconstruction after the 2016 earthquake to the relaunch of Apennine villages, up to the valorization of artists from Tolentino such as Cesare Marcorelli and Giorgio Ciommei. The event enjoys the patronage of the Municipality of Tolentino and collaborates with institutions such as the University of Macerata, the Academy of Fine Arts of Macerata, and the International Biennial of Humor in Art.
An Event Open to All
Designed for a broad and curious audience, the review maintains a popular and accessible approach: meetings and screenings are generally free of charge, while workshops require booking. Among the venues involved, in addition to the Politeama Franco Moschini, the bookstore Letture in Centrale hosts the more intimate and participatory moments, such as writing workshops. Spazio Mari demonstrates how a small town in the Marche can become, for a weekend, a crossroads of ideas, art, and memory.
Spazio Mari — edition 2026
The 3rd edition of Spazio Mari, titled 'Il Grande Sogno' (The Great Dream), took place in Tolentino (MC) on May 30 and 31, 2026, with a program built around the tenth anniversary of the 2016 earthquake in Central Italy. Promoted by Zagreus APS, the edition combined reflection, cinema, and writing between the Politeama Franco Moschini and the Letture in Centrale bookstore.
Saturday featured 'Lavori in corso – a cultural aperitif', a series of panels dedicated to the reconstruction of inland areas and the restoration of the Basilica of San Nicola da Tolentino, followed in the evening by a free film screening. Sunday was entirely dedicated to an experiential writing workshop led by director Francesca Staasch.
Programme Spazio Mari 2026
Saturday, May 30 — Politeama Franco Moschini
- 3:00 PM — 'Lavori in corso – a cultural aperitif', three panels on reconstruction ten years after the earthquake: Giulia Lapucci and Silvia Sorana (Sibillini Summer School) on inland areas and the magazine Frsssch; engineers and urban planners Ilaria Persico, Livio Gambacorta, and Alessandro Calzavara on reconstruction and restoration of the Basilica of San Nicola da Tolentino; Marco Gratani, Giulia Sancricca (Appennino Foto Festival), and Paolo Bragaglia (Museo del Synth Marchigiano) on the future and archives.
- 9:00 PM — Free film screening: the film Happy Days Motel (starring Lino Guanciale) and the short film In the Box by director Francesca Staasch, who was present for a Q&A with the audience. Cafeteria open.
Sunday, May 31 — Letture in Centrale
- 10:00 AM–1:00 PM and 3:00 PM–6:00 PM — Experiential writing workshop led by Francesca Staasch: creation of personal works through the exploration of the unconscious and the deepening of narrative structures. Free admission upon reservation ([email protected] / 333 833 7285).
Highlights Spazio Mari 2026
Prices Spazio Mari 2026
Practical information — Spazio Mari
How to Get Here
The Politeama Franco Moschini is located at Corso Garibaldi 80, in the historic center of Tolentino (MC). By car, take the Tolentino Ovest exit on the SS77 Val di Chienti highway. By train, Tolentino station is on the Civitanova Marche–Fabriano line, a few minutes' walk from the center.
Admission
Meetings, conferences, and film screenings are generally free admission until seats are filled. Workshops are free upon reservation.
Information
For reservations and details: [email protected] or 333 833 7285 (also WhatsApp). Updates on the Politeama website, www.politeama.org.
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Where does it take place — Spazio Mari
Politeama Franco Moschini
Corso Garibaldi 80, 62029 Tolentino