CORTONA ON THE MOVE 2026
From 16 July to 1 November 2026, Cortona On The Move returns with a new artistic direction led by Renata Ferri and a theme that turns its gaze toward Italy: Beautiful Country.
More than a geographical reference, Beautiful Country is an invitation to look again at what surrounds us—to rediscover landscapes, identities, memories and contradictions through the language of contemporary photography. In an age saturated with images, the festival encourages a slower, more conscious way of seeing, exploring the fragile balance between people, places and history. Through over thirty exhibitions, Italian and international photographers engage in a collective visual journey that intertwines documentary practice, artistic experimentation and cultural reflection, offering a multifaceted portrait of Italy today.
A key project of this edition is Peninsula, an original commission conceived by Renata Ferri that brings together a new generation of Italian photographers inspired by the legacy of the landmark Viaggio in Italia (1984). The project reimagines the contemporary Italian landscape through diverse perspectives, reaffirming the festival's commitment to producing new photographic works and fostering critical dialogue.
The 2026 programme features an outstanding roster of internationally acclaimed artists alongside emerging voices, including Joel Sternfeld, Candida Höfer, Kourtney Roy, Botto&Bruno, Antonio Biasiucci, Andrea Modica, Aaron Schuman, Steffi Reimers, Sohei Nishino, Luca Campigotto, Francesco Anselmi, Paolo Ventura, Silvia Camporesi, Alys Tomlinson, Jason Fulford, Marco Valli & Luca Santese, Yago Soria, Mattia Balsamini & Raffaele Panizza, Giulia Mangione & Ivan Carozzi, Chiara Fossati & Mattia Zoppellaro, Emanuele Amighetti & Federica Sasso, together with the collective exhibition Peninsula, featuring Arianna Arcara, Fabio Barile, Marina Caneve, Federico Clavarino, Matteo de Mayda, Ivan Dimovic, Giorgio Di Noto, Alessandro Imbriaco, Rachele Maistrello and Giovanna Silva.
Once again, Cortona becomes an open-air exhibition space where photography inhabits historic palaces, the Fortezza del Girifalco and the town's public spaces, transforming the city into a platform for visual storytelling, dialogue and discovery.