Cortona On The Move 2026

After four years under Paolo Woods, journalist and curator Renata Ferri will now shape the cultural and creative identity of the event together with director Veronica Nicolardi.

Overview

“Under Paolo Woods’ guidance, the festival has strengthened its identity as a space for cultural production, opening new perspectives and international dialogues,” says Veronica Nicolardi. “A special thanks also goes to the collective Kublaiklan, which supported Paolo in the curatorship for two years, bringing energy, vision, and an approach that enriched the artistic project, while also enthusiastically and creatively curating the exhibition design and production of the shows since 2017. We extend our sincere gratitude to all of them for their commitment, dedication, and the mark they have left on Cortona On The Move’s development.”

“These were the Fabulous Four for me: years of discoveries, insights, sharing, and perseverance—a flourishing four-leaf clover. From the very beginning I knew what I wanted to do: first, to give each edition a clear and strong theme, because a festival must convey something. Then, to create a place of production—not only exhibitions, but also projects, books, awards, and collaborations. And finally, to broaden our gaze and welcome new languages, new aesthetics, and new ways of storytelling,” says Paolo Woods.

For the next edition of the festival, taking place from 16 July to 1 November 2026, the artistic direction will be entrusted to Renata Ferri, chief photo editor of iO Donna from 2005 to 2024. From 2010 to 2018 she held the same role for Amica, the women’s monthly of RCS Mediagroup. From 1991 to 2005 she directed photographic production at Contrasto. She teaches in photography schools and specialized training programs. She has served on numerous Italian and international juries, including two editions of World Press Photo. She regularly writes about photography and art for iO Donna and Amica. She curates editorial and exhibition projects for individual authors and collectives.

“Creating a festival means giving life to a polyphony of stories and images, allowing them to converse with each other in a specific place and moment in time. ‘To be present for a new beginning’—this is how Hannah Arendt defines the act of innovating,” says Renata Ferri.

“With her deep knowledge of the world of images, her long-standing experience, and her sensitivity toward stories and authors, we are confident that Renata Ferri will be able to lead the festival into a new and stimulating phase of its development” comments Veronica Nicolardi. “The Associazione Culturale On The Move thus continues its mission to promote and disseminate the visual arts—and photography in particular— as a tool for knowledge, culture, and dialogue. With renewed enthusiasm, we look to the future of Cortona On The Move as an open, vibrant, and constantly evolving space.”

The 2025 edition of the festival, which concluded on 2 November, featured 23 exhibitions, 76 artists, over 27,000 visitors, 160 accredited journalists, and more than 480 press mentions in Italy and abroad.