Borderland turns 20: contemporary art festival across Friuli and Europe

Borderland / Orizzonti: twenty years of contemporary art and cross-border dialogue

The 20th edition of Borderland / Orizzonti starts on Wednesday 15 April 2026 at 18:00 at the Casa della Musica in Cervignano del Friuli. Promoted by Circolo ARCI Cervignano APS and curated by Eva Comuzzi and Orietta Masin, this special edition reflects on the border as a space for exploration and imagination.

Opening event: artists' conversation

The opening features the public talk "Materia Sensibile – the body as interference", with artists Nicola Fornoni and Claudia Amatruda in conversation with curator Eva Comuzzi. The discussion, accompanied by visual materials and video, contrasts photographic and performative practices and addresses themes such as self-portraiture, body representation and perception.

Free entry.

Open call and international residency

During the opening the festival will launch an open call for visual artists residing in Italy for a free residency scheduled from 7 to 14 June 2026 in San Mauro (Gorizia). A second phase, from 14 to 21 June 2026, will involve an invited Austrian artist, promoting international exchange.

• Open call deadline: 3 May 2026.
• Final outcome: exhibition at the former Cinema Cristallo in Grado with works produced during the residency and a selection of recent research by participating artists.

Main programme highlights

• 15 April 2026, 18:00 — Opening at Casa della Musica, Cervignano del Friuli.
• May–June: "Confine di carta" exhibition at the Antico Ospedale dei Battuti in San Vito al Tagliamento, fostering dialogue between historic Slovenian artists and contemporary regional practitioners.
• 7–14 June 2026: residency in San Mauro (Gorizia) for selected artists.
• 14–21 June 2026: exchange phase with an invited Austrian artist.
• Late summer: presentation of residency outcomes in Grado (ex Cinema Cristallo).
• Autumn: closing events in Cervignano del Friuli with performances, music and reunions celebrating the festival's twenty years.
• Additional project: interventions in Marano Lagunare as part of the international "Arte tra le calli" programme.

Practical information

• Opening talk: free admission.
• Open call: free to apply for artists resident in Italy; deadline 3 May 2026.
• Principal locations: Casa della Musica (Cervignano del Friuli), San Mauro (Gorizia), Antico Ospedale dei Battuti (San Vito al Tagliamento), former Cinema Cristallo (Grado), Marano Lagunare.
• Follow the project on its official Facebook page and Instagram profile for updates and submission details.

Borderland marks two decades of connecting artists, communities and places, offering a distributed programme of exhibitions, residencies and performances that highlights contemporary practices across Friuli Venezia Giulia and beyond.