14/04/2026
FABRIANOINACQUARELLO 2026: RELATIONAL ART THAT UNITES THE WORLD
The 17th edition of the most important international festival dedicated to watermedia painting on paper returns from April 21 to 26 between Bologna and Fabriano.
Over 1,700 works from 90 countries to celebrate an art without borders and without competition.
BOLOGNA / FABRIANO – Watercolor once again becomes the universal language of peace and sharing with the 17th edition of FabrianoInAcquarello, scheduled from April 21 to 26, 2026.
Born in 2010 as an experimental project, the event is today the largest global conference meeting dedicated to water, color, and Paper, capable of uniting masters, emerging artists, illustrators, and simple enthusiasts from 90 nations.
An event that is not a simple exhibition, but a true laboratory of inclusion and cultural diplomacy.
As emphasized by Anna Massinissa, creator and curator of the event, the festival is based on the principles of "Relational Art": at FabrianoInAcquarello there are no hierarchies, nor contests or competitions.
Art strips away its self-referential aspect to become an instrument of investigation, reciprocity, and social pedagogy.
BOLOGNA AND FABRIANO: THE TWO HEARTS OF THE FESTIVAL
The 2026 format unfolds in two fundamental stages, designed to welcome thousands of international artists and ensure adequate spaces for sharing and performances.
• The Preview in Bologna (April 21-23): The traditional operational conference will take place in the spaces of the Teatro Arena del Sole.
A moment of meeting between global Country Leaders, enriched by demonstrations from great Masters and the Exhibition dedicated to "Young Talented Artists".
Among the most anticipated moments is the evocative collective painting performance for peace in the theater courtyard.
• The Return to the City of Paper (April 24-26): On April 24, a small fleet of buses will move the artistic community to Fabriano, UNESCO Creative City and the cradle of Western paper.
The historic center—from the Paper and Watermark Museum and Palazzo del Podestà to the Zona Conce, the heart of contemporary Art—will transform into a widespread museum and an open-air atelier.
Here, the exhibitions of the 2026 International Collection will be inaugurated (over 1,000 works on display until June 14), alongside en plein air painting sessions, meetings with master papermakers, and moments of pure magic such as the "painting with music" at the Baroque Organ of San Biagio and "painting with ethnic instruments" in the Cloister of the San Benedetto complex.
AN ITINERANT AND GLOBAL EDITION
FabrianoInAcquarello does not stop at city limits. Interpreting the desire of international artists to explore the wonders of our country, the event activates the "Città InAcquarello" hospitality network. From April 27 to 30, the 2026 edition will become itinerant, accompanying artists in plein air sessions and cultural discoveries in Perugia, Pioraco, Fermo, and Urbino.
Furthermore, to ensure that this extraordinary open-air school is accessible to everyone, the event will also live on the web: the online platform already permanently hosts the 1,787 participating watercolors, and in November 2026 a global Webinar on YouTube will make all the festival's demos and conferences available, confirming the event as a world reference point for the painting technique.
PATRONAGE, ORGANIZATION, AND SUPPORTERS
FabrianoInAcquarello is the result of a profound synergy between institutions, associations, and historic brands, united to promote the territory and culture.
• Concept, Direction, and Organization: InArte Cultural Association, under the direction of Anna Massinissa. Together with the Global Leader and Admins community from 90 Partner Countries
• Patronage: Municipality of Fabriano (UNESCO Creative City), Municipality of Bologna, Marche Region, Emilia-Romagna Region, Fedrigoni Fabriano Foundation, Bologna Welcome, Pia Università dei Cartai, Consortium of Master Papermakers of Fabriano, Carifac Foundation, Zona Conce, Carifac’arte, International Watercolor Museum.
• Cultural Partners and Locations: Paper and Watermark Museum of Fabriano, Teatro Arena del Sole (Bologna), Illustration Course of the Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna, "Città InAcquarello" Network, Settembre Organistico Fabrianese, Paper Symphony, Radio Gold.
• Main Technical Partner: Cartiera Fabriano (Fedrigoni Group) – exclusive sponsor of industrial fine art paper, whose manufacturing quality has made the territory an inescapable reference point for artists from all over the world.
• Technical Partners: Raphael, Sennelier, Isabey, Winsor & Newton, Rosa color, Daniel Smith, Borciani e Bonazzi, Aquarius, MH, Watercolor online, Foresto, Corbara, Tintoretto, Renesans, QOR, Golden, Royal Talens, Escoda, Momarte, Grand Arts, White Nights, EoEo.
• In line with the values of: UNESCO (Fabriano Creative City) and celebrated as cultural excellence by Italia.it.
USEFUL LINKS AND PRESS MATERIALS
• Updated Program: inartefabriano.it/program2026.pdf
• Online Exhibition (1,787 works): internationalwatercolormuseum.com/platform-exhibition/2026
• YouTube Channel: youtube.com/
• WhatsApp Channel for live info: whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaW3EZ01t90Y5FblLq3G
