Vitriol Festival

A festival between culture and the sacred in Bagnacavallo

The Vitriol Festival is a multidisciplinary cultural event that animates the Ancient Convent of San Francesco in Bagnacavallo, a town in the lower Romagna region in the province of Ravenna, in Emilia-Romagna, for an entire weekend. Organized by the association Saltinmente, the festival offers a journey through art, philosophy, alchemy, and contemporary spirituality, dedicated to rediscovering practices, gestures, and knowledge from tradition that risk being lost to memory but can still find space and meaning in the present.

The meaning of the name

The name Vitriol refers to the alchemical motto Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem, meaning "visit the interior of the earth and, by rectifying, you will find the hidden stone." It is an invitation to turn one's gaze inward, to recognize what has been marginalized or forgotten and restore its dignity and form. This concept serves as the common thread throughout the festival's programming.

Activities on the program

The festival's offerings are rich and varied, spread across the different halls of the convent complex and the evocative cloister:

• Experiential workshops, practical moments of shared learning
• Art exhibitions and artistic displays
• Conferences and meetings for cultural and philosophical deepening
• Sound experiences and live music dedicated to well-being
• Shows and performances
• Activities for children and spaces dedicated to the creativity of the little ones
• Consultations and treatments with holistic practitioners

The themed market

The convivial heart of the event is the market exhibition, dedicated to crafts, herbalism, independent publishing, and small handmade items. It is an opportunity to meet artisans, producers, and entities that preserve ancient knowledge and reinterpret it in a contemporary way.

The setting: the Ancient Convent of San Francesco

The festival venue is the Ancient Convent of San Francesco, at via Cadorna 14, a historic space in the heart of Bagnacavallo that, with its halls and cloister, offers an ideal setting for an event dedicated to the dialogue between the sacred and the profane, between memory and research. Bagnacavallo, with its historic center and the famous Piazza Nuova, is one of the most fascinating destinations in the province of Ravenna and the Emilia-Romagna region.