The upcoming festivals in Italy to keep an eye on Following the success of C2C, here is a selection of music events to look out for

The twenty-fifth edition of the C2C Festival in Turin has recently come to a close. Italy's premier event dedicated to electronic music and one of the most significant in Europe, the 2026 edition drew approximately 43,000 attendees, the majority of them international, thanks to one of the most ambitious lineups the festival has ever presented. Among the headliners of the 2026 edition were Robyn, Yung Lean & Bladee, Kelela, Arca, underscores and Oklou, among many others, reaffirming a musical identity that for over twenty years has brought together genres such as cyberpop, rap and experimental music alongside electronics under the banner of "avant-pop".

In Italy, the autumn and winter season of major music events does not end with C2C, even though the Turin festival has long been in a league of its own compared to other events in the sector. In the coming months, a number of festivals dedicated to electronic music and beyond are scheduled to take place — here, then, is a selection of events worth keeping an eye on.

Manifesto Fest

From 25 to 29 November, in Rome, the Manifesto festival celebrates its tenth anniversary with a programme exploring the many facets of electronic music. Among the most notable artists on the lineup are British producer Mad Professor, Italian musician and composer Alessandro Cortini, a former member of the legendary band Nine Inch Nails, Norwegian producer Carmen Villain, and Scottish artist Kode9, one of the foremost figures of the British dubstep scene. Manifesto's preview event was recently held at the iconic Locomotiv Club in Bologna, where producer duo Nosaj Thing & Daito Manabe took the stage for an audiovisual live performance combining the sonic research of the American musician with the visual experimentation of the Japanese artist.

Those under 26 are entitled to a 20% discount on festival tickets; furthermore, on the occasion of two evenings at Rome's Monk club, Manifesto is participating in the AAA project (All Access Area), making specially designed vests available to deaf attendees that allow them to experience the music through vibrations.

Open Sound Festival

The eighth edition of Open Sound Festival returns to Basilicata with five days of events spread across two weekends: from 18 to 20 and on 26 and 27 December, between the city of Matera and the nearby town of Miglionico. The festival presents a programme that brings together contemporary music, sound research and local traditions, with the aim of fostering a dialogue between different musical languages and generations.

Among the headline guests are German music artist Alva Noto, Spanish guitarist Yerai Cortés, Italian artist Dimartino, who will perform alongside the musician duo Fratelli Trabace, and Altea, a Puglian singer — formerly part of Thru Collected — regarded as one of the most compelling voices in the new Italian music scene. The Open Sound Festival lineup also features British producer Adrian Sherwood and London duo Demdike Stare, among many others, as well as talks and cultural initiatives.

Transmissions Festival

From 19 to 21 November, Transmissions returns to Ravenna for its eighteenth edition, dedicated to experimental and ambient music. This year's theme revolves around Theodoric, the ruler of the ancient Germanic people known as the Ostrogoths, who died exactly 1,500 years ago and whose legacy is deeply intertwined with the history of Ravenna, where he is buried. The festival lineup features, among its headliners, Canadian producer Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, founder of the project Jerusalem In My Heart, French multi-instrumentalist Frédéric D. Oberland, Brazilian drummer Igor Cavalera, and sound artists Sara Persico and Alina Kalencea, among many others.

The festival programme is further enriched by an Off section, offering a series of special events centred on this year's theme, including screenings, exhibitions, talks and DJ sets. Unlike previous editions, which featured artistic direction entrusted to individual personalities, this year Transmissions Festival has no single external curator; instead, the programming is handled directly by Bronson — a prominent cultural association and production company based in Ravenna that has over the years become a key point of reference in Italy and Europe for independent music.

Inner Space

In Milan, the autumn season of Inner Space continues until 20 December, with a series of events dedicated to experimental electronic music. This year's edition is entitled Ritratti trasversali and includes — on 16 November — celebrated producer Andy Stott sharing an evening with the pianist duo Collectif G; on 30 November, the music of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt meets that of German musician Robert Lippok, while 14 December sees Italian producer Luigi Tozzi perform his acclaimed Deep Blue project live, exploring the more ambient dimension of his music — the evening will then be closed by the highly regarded German musician Stefan Betke, better known as Pole.

«The 2026 autumn season, Ritratti trasversali, crosses genres, eras and traditions to shed light on some of the most original voices in contemporary musical research», across a «journey of nine events between the Auditorium and the Church of San Fedele» in Milan, where each artist will bring to the stage «a unique stylistic signature, a personal approach to sound, time, listening and the relationship with space» — as stated in a press release from the festival.