GAIA Festival 2026 in Reggio Calabria: talks and concerts on the Mediterranean

Accademia di Belle Arti di Reggio Calabria · Reggio Calabria, Costa Viola, Calabria

14 October 2026 – 31 October 2026

From 14 to 31 October 2026 Reggio Calabria hosts GAIA – Futuro Prossimo | Mediterraneo Presente, a festival of talks, film, theatre and live music that treats the Mediterranean as a place of encounter rather than a border. It opens on 14 October at the Academy of Fine Arts with director Will Geiger and a screening of his film Glass Beach, then moves to the Aragonese Castle, the National Museum, Villa Zerbi and Ecolandia park with concerts by Têtes de Bois, Francesco Loccisano, Sandro Joyeux and members of Agricantus. Admission is free, subject to seat availability or booking.

What GAIA – Futuro Prossimo | Mediterraneo Presente is

GAIA is a festival that from 14 to 31 October 2026 brings talks, book presentations, film, theatre, photography, science events and live music to Reggio Calabria. The common thread is the Mediterranean, seen not as a border but as a space of encounter and change: cultural identities, migration, environmental sustainability, innovation and the future of local communities.

Scholars, writers, journalists, artists and people working in social causes take part, in venues across the city: the Academy of Fine Arts, Auditorium San Salvatore, Palazzo Zani at the Mediterranea University, the Aragonese Castle, Sala Cartoline Rock, the National Museum, Villa Zerbi, Ecolandia park in Arghillà and Piazza Orange. Performances are free to attend.

14 October: the Strait on screen with Will Geiger and the seabed off Scilla

The preview is on Wednesday 14 October at the Academy of Fine Arts with "Narrare lo Stretto: dal Mito alla Sceneggiatura" (Telling the Strait: from myth to screenplay), a talk on the relationship between the area and film storytelling. The guest is director Will Geiger, author of Glass Beach (Spiaggia di Vetro, 2024), which is screened after the talk.

The day continues at Auditorium San Salvatore with a journey into the seabed of the Strait of Messina through images, accounts from divers of the Scilla diving centre and live music. It ends with a world music concert by the Corde Libere association, with Mimmo Morello as special guest.

17 October: "Mediterranean, witnesses of change" at Palazzo Zani

On Saturday 17 October, in the Sala dello Stretto of Palazzo Zani at the Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, the conference "Mediterraneo, testimoni del cambiamento" looks at the cultural and social changes in the region and at dialogue between its shores.

Speakers include Thierry Fabre, Caterina Resta, Driss Ksikes and Francesco Cicione. Journalist Alessio Balbi talks about telling the world through new forms of journalism. Giuseppe Smorto chairs the session, and the publisher Mesogea presents books devoted to Mediterranean identity.

28 and 29 October: Katia Colica, Têtes de Bois and Francesco Loccisano

On Wednesday 28 October the Aragonese Castle hosts "Morgana Acque Libere", a theatre piece with live music written and performed by Katia Colica. The evening continues at Sala Cartoline Rock with a concert by Têtes de Bois, featuring Andrea Satta.

On Thursday 29 October the National Museum hosts the talk-and-concert "Cultura del territorio: alberi, città, coste, nuove frontiere" (trees, cities, coasts), with Andrea R. Proto, Marco Introini and Rossano Pazzagli, who presents the book "Storia delle coste italiane", written with Augusto Ciuffetti and published by Rubbettino. It is followed by an acoustic world music concert by Francesco Loccisano.

30 and 31 October: Sandro Joyeux at Villa Zerbi, Ecolandia and Piazza Orange

On Friday 30 October Villa Zerbi hosts a meeting on integration and welcome with Sofia Donato, curator of a project devoted to the mothers of migrants lost in the Mediterranean, who work in Mali to promote rights and income-generating activities, with John Onama, a former child soldier in Uganda, and with local associations and intercultural mediators. It closes with a concert by Sandro Joyeux.

The final day, Saturday 31 October, is at Ecolandia park in Arghillà: the book "Alla luce del sole. L'energia come bene comune" is presented with Michele Nardelli in conversation with sociologist Tonino Perna; journalist Alessandra Gardini presents "Elogio della bicicletta" and the Michele Scarponi Foundation's school project. The exhibition "I fondali dello Stretto" opens, with workshops for young people. In the evening, in Piazza Orange, Mario Crispi and Alfredo Giammanco of Agricantus play with Alessandro Calcaramo.

Free admission, times and planning your visit

Performances in the programme are free, until seats run out or by booking, depending on the arrangements for each event. The announcements do not give start times for the individual days, so check them before setting out, especially on evenings that use more than one venue, such as 14 and 28 October.

Several venues are in the city centre: the Academy of Fine Arts at Via XXV Luglio 10, the Aragonese Castle in Piazza Castello and the National Museum at Piazza De Nava 26. Ecolandia park is in Arghillà, in the north of the city, away from the centre. For dinner before or after the events see where to eat in Reggio Calabria; other events this month are listed in events in Calabria.

Frequently asked questions

Is admission to the GAIA festival free?

Yes, the performances in the programme are free, until seats run out or by booking, depending on the arrangements for each event.

When does the GAIA festival 2026 take place?

From 14 to 31 October 2026 in Reggio Calabria, with events announced on 14, 17, 28, 29, 30 and 31 October.

Where are the events held?

In several venues across the city: the Academy of Fine Arts, Auditorium San Salvatore, Palazzo Zani at the Mediterranea University, the Aragonese Castle, Sala Cartoline Rock, the National Museum, Villa Zerbi, Ecolandia park in Arghillà and Piazza Orange.

Which concerts are on the programme?

Corde Libere with Mimmo Morello on 14 October, Têtes de Bois with Andrea Satta on the 28th, Francesco Loccisano on the 29th, Sandro Joyeux on the 30th, and Mario Crispi and Alfredo Giammanco of Agricantus on 31 October.

Which film is screened on 14 October?

Glass Beach (Spiaggia di Vetro, 2024) by director Will Geiger, screened at the Academy of Fine Arts after the talk "Narrare lo Stretto: dal Mito alla Sceneggiatura".

What time do the events start?

The festival announcements do not give start times for the individual days, so it is best to check with the organisers before attending.

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