Welcome to the Future

Welcome to the Future: the sound of the future inside a fortress

Welcome to the Future is a two-day electronic music event that transforms the galleries and corridors of the CSOA Forte Prenestino, in Rome's Centocelle district, into a sonic labyrinth dedicated to rave culture and the underground scene. Now in its fifth edition in 2026, the event takes place on Friday, April 10th, and Saturday, April 11th, 2026, organized by the Kernel Panik Sound, Bitnet01, and Kollage Kollectiv collectives in collaboration with the self-managed space that hosts it.

Live music and DJ sets in the belly of the fort

The program alternates between live music and DJ sets throughout the night, ranging from techno and tekno to hardcore sounds and experimental derivations that have always been the hallmark of the international free party network the organizers belong to. Workshops, social gatherings, and installations revolve around the music, in line with the participatory spirit of the space. Times and the full line-up are announced via the official poster published on the Forte's website and social channels in the days leading up to the event.

Forte Prenestino, an occupied monument

The setting is an integral part of the experience. Forte Prenestino is a 19th-century fortress occupied on May 1st, 1986, during the 'Festa del Non Lavoro' (Non-Work Festival); since then, it has become one of the largest and longest-running occupied and self-managed social centers in Europe, featuring galleries, moats, rehearsal rooms, workshops, and exhibition spaces. Dancing within its brick walls, under the vaults and along the ramparts, gives Welcome to the Future a unique character that no traditional club can replicate.

A free and self-managed space

Welcome to the Future clearly asserts its identity: a free, self-managed, and anti-fascist space that invites conscious participation and mutual respect, excluding any violent, sexist, racist, homophobic, biphobic, transphobic, or fascist behavior. Entry is by donation, which goes toward the self-financing of the Forte's activities. It is a festival that speaks primarily to a young audience and the emerging electronic music scenes in Rome and beyond.

An event in the heart of East Rome

Within the landscape of events in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the Lazio region, Welcome to the Future occupies a specific niche: that of rave culture, free sound, and self-production. Easily accessible via Metro C and the trams of the capital's eastern quadrant, it has become a spring landmark for those seeking a different nocturnal experience, rooted in the history and identity of its neighborhood.