A settembre 2026 debutta una nuova biennale sulle montagne dell’Abruzzo. Una open call spiega agli artisti come partecipare alla Biennale del Gran Sasso
A new contemporary art biennial, the Biennale del Gran Sasso, will debut from September 1 to 20, 2026, in the mountainous Gran Sasso region of Abruzzo, Italy. The event will unfold along the 60-kilometer Cammino del Gran Sasso, linking historic villages such as Castel del Monte, Rocca Calascio, Santo Stefano di Sessanio, and Barisciano, as well as the Campo Imperatore plateau. It is promoted by Frequenze dal Gran Sasso, Il Cammino del Gran Sasso, and the Fondazione Giorgio de Marchis Bonanni d’Ocre, with support from Fondazione CarispAQ. An open call for artists, open until June 21, 2026, invites Italian and international artists to submit projects on the theme of "Soglia" (Threshold), with up to five selected projects receiving a €1,500 fee, production budget, and residency support under the curatorial supervision of Maurizio Coccia.
This biennial matters because it positions contemporary art as a tool for territorial regeneration in Italy's depopulated internal areas, aligning with L'Aquila's designation as Italian Capital of Culture 2026. By embedding site-specific installations, environmental interventions, and participatory practices in a fragile mountain landscape, the Biennale del Gran Sasso offers a model for cultural revitalization that could inspire similar initiatives across rural Europe. It also provides a rare platform for artists to engage directly with a unique natural and historical context, fostering dialogue between communities, visitors, and the environment.