In Liguria si è svolta una mega festa diffusa per celebrare l’artigianato della ceramica. Reportage dal Festival della Maiolica 2026
The fourth edition of the Festival della Maiolica took place from June 5-7, 2026, in the Ligurian towns of Albissola Marina, Savona, Albisola Superiore, and Celle Ligure, celebrating ceramic craftsmanship with over fifty events. The festival featured a collective "white and blue" table in Albissola Marina, avant-garde exhibitions, theoretical discussions, and community participation. A central exhibition, "Nespolo e Albisola. Fuoco ritrovato," curated by Riccardo Zelatore, showcases works by artist Ugo Nespolo at the MuDA and the Museo della Ceramica di Savona, running until September 6, 2026. The festival is organized by the Fondazione Museo della Ceramica di Savona ETS, an instrumental entity of the Fondazione De Mari CR Savona, in collaboration with the Cooperativa A.R.C.A., marking a shift from past municipal-led management.
This festival matters because it demonstrates how a historic ceramic district can regenerate through a coordinated cultural governance model that blends public, private social, and banking foundations, overcoming local fragmentation. The event highlights the vitality of the region's ceramic tradition, with new workshops run by thirty-something ceramists opening alongside historic ones like Ceramiche Mazzotti and San Giorgio. The festival's success in attracting a young audience and achieving national visibility offers a replicable model for other craft-based territories seeking to combine heritage with contemporary innovation.