The “CostellAzioni” project is kicking off—a citywide festival organized as part of L’Aquila’s designation as the 2026 Capital of Culture, designed to highlight the city’s hamlets and neighborhoods. It begins on April 17 with the reopening of the San Filippo Neri Theater.
L’Aquila confirms its position as a “Multiverse City”: a vibrant network of communities, histories, and territories that resonate in unison. With these premises, CostellAzioni , the flagship initiative of the program for L’ Aquila, Italian Capital of Culture 2026 , officially begins. Not just a festival, but a social and cultural activation program, managed by the Municipality of L’Aquila , which transforms the entire region into a shared stage.
A Diverse City: The Neighborhoods Become “Stars”
At the heart of CostellAzioni lies the story of a diverse and sprawling city. In this vision, the outlying neighborhoods and most peripheral areas take center stage as vital hubs of social interaction and cultural production: true stars that shine within a territorial constellation. The project brings together the performing arts, music, sports, and outdoor activities, directly involving 27 local organizations —including associations and citizens—who are called upon to play an active role in shaping the program.
The flagship event: the reopening of the San Filippo Neri Theater
To kick off this collaborative project, a moment of extraordinary significance has been chosen: the reopening of the San Filippo Neri Theater, scheduled for the weekend of April 17, 18, and 19, 2026. The restoration of this 17th-century Baroque venue, nestled within the city’s medieval layout, marks the first major “revival” of L’Aquila’s cultural landscape.
This important step in the city’s cultural revitalization was made possible thanks to a wide-ranging institutional collaboration: The CostellAzioni project was in fact funded as part of the Extraordinary Intervention Program for Urban Renewal and Safety in the Suburbs of Metropolitan Cities in Provincial Capitals—specifically, the “Reusing Housing” initiative—administered by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. The three-day opening celebration at San Filippo will intertwine remembrance and participation, marking the definitive transition from physical reconstruction to the social regeneration of the community.
Key Players for a Shared New Beginning
The stage of the newly renovated San Filippo Neri will host a lineup of nationally renowned artists to celebrate this new beginning. From Edoardo Leo with his “Letture semiserie” to the timeless charm of the Massimo Lopez Show, including the reflections of Alessio Boni, the wit of Giorgia Fumo, the couple’s story told by Federica Camba and Gianluca “Scintilla” Fubelli, all the way to Giovanni Muciaccia’s contemporary art and meme workshops.
A cross-cutting program designed to bring generations together—just as the CostellAzioni project serves as a bridge between the city’s different areas—transforming rediscovered memory into a vision for the future.
Useful Information and Registration
Admission to all the opening performances at the San Filippo Neri Theater (April 17–19) is free. Due to the venue’s limited capacity, registration is required, and seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Bookings open: at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 10, 2026.
- Registration link: www.costellazionilaquila.it