Ancona 2028: Why Being Italy’s Capital of Culture Matters

Ancona Capital of Culture 2028: following Pesaro in 2024, another Marche city takes centre stage on Italy’s cultural map. Ancona stood out among other finalists–Anagni, Catania, Colle di Val d’Elsa, Forlì, Gravina in Puglia, Messina, Mirabella Eclano, Sarzana and Tarquinia–thanks to a smart focus on a sustainable and inclusive urban transformation.

For the city on the Adriatic coastline, this marks the beginning of a journey that will redefine its face, spaces and perception. Expect a year brimming with events that will put Ancona's tourism and culture in Marche, Italy, under the spotlight. Here’s what we know so far.

The Italian Capital of Culture is an initiative by the Ministry of Culture that each year celebrates cities ready to step up, using culture as a tangible driver for growth.

Launched in 2014, the programme aims to boost tourism and showcase Italy’s tangible and intangible heritage through a year-long calendar of events and initiatives.

Candidate cities submit a detailed dossier outlining their vision, projects, and planned investments. A panel then selects the winner, which receives public funding–currently around €1 million–to bring its cultural programme to life.

Far from being merely a symbolic title, becoming the Italian Capital of Culture can have a real impact on local life, from increasing visitor numbers to creating new cultural spaces for residents.

The title currently belongs to L’Aquila, with Pordenone set to take the spotlight in 2027. 

Related story – 10 places to visit in Le Marche

Ancona has been named Italian Capital of Culture 2028 thanks to a forward-thinking vision that sees culture as a strategic driver for urban transformation.

Its acclaimed proposal, unanimously chosen by the jury, is called "Ancona. Questo Adesso" (Ancona. This now). The title honours Ancona-born poet and critic Francesco Scarabicchi and spotlights the project’s main idea: culture as a force for shaping the future.

What impressed the panel was Ancona’s ability to weave together memory and present times, local identity and international openness.

A standout feature is the focus on younger generations, who won’t just be spectators but active participants and co-creators in the city’s cultural life.

The program is very ambitious. Ancona Capital of Culture 2028 will launch more than 80 urban and social revitalization projects, with contributions from well-known artists, scholars, and experts. These include three-time Oscar-winning production designer Dante Ferretti and director Abel Ferrara.

As Italy’s Capital of Culture 2028, Ancona is gearing up with a rich and exciting programme.

The plan is structured around four big themes, each offering a different lens on the city’s identity: the sea, urban spaces, natural heritage, and active participation.

Each one forms a cultural path: Questo Mare, Via Maestra, Adesso Parco, and Mare Culturale. 

With them, Ancona Capital of Culture 2028 aims to make culture in Le Marche more accessible, interactive, and unforgettable.

1. Questo Mare – Ancona’s relationship with its port becomes a contemporary cultural experience. Highlights include a cinematic exploration of the Arco di Traiano by director Abel Ferrara, and a sea archive curated by Francesco De Melis. The iconic Mole Vanvitelliana will host the Museum of Adriatic Sea Civilisation, directed by Dante Ferretti.

2. Via Maestra – a citywide network of events and exhibitions. Collaborations involve the National Archaeological Museum of Marche, the Superintendency, the University of Ferrara, and the Polytechnic University of Marche. The Civic Art Gallery will be a key hub, with exhibitions varying from Adriatic Renaissance works to contemporary female artists.

3. Adesso Parco – a focus on Ancona’s natural heritage. Parco del Cardeto and surrounding green spaces will become living cultural venues, featuring themed paths and poetic gardens dedicated to poets Franco Scataglini and Francesco Scarabicchi.

4. Mare Culturale – performance arts, music, installations, and digital projects coordinated by organisations like Marche Teatro and Fondazione Teatro delle Muse. Ancona will develop a hub for audiovisuals, gaming, and digital creativity. Video mapping and audiovisual installations will transform sites such as Passetto and the Arch of Trajan.

Ancona is getting ready for a serious glow-up.

The goal is to elevate Ancona tourism, turning the city from a quick stopover into a destination of choice for travellers.

As seen in other host cities, being named the Italian Capital of Culture 2028 is expected to give a significant boost to both tourism and the local economy.

It’s a major moment not just for the city, which is becoming increasingly open, connected, and easy to explore, but also for the entire territory.

A historic port city and long-time crossroads of cultures, Ancona has always been a meeting point between different worlds. Now, it’s turning that identity into a real cultural asset.

With investment in heritage restoration, upgraded infrastructure, better transport links, and a packed calendar of creative events, Ancona Capital of Culture 2028 is set to become a showcase for culture in Marche and attract more visitors than ever.

From now until 2028, Ancona is poised to change in how it’s seen and experienced.

A cultural hub in the Marche region, it is strengthening its identity while pushing it in a more contemporary direction.

Getting to Ancona will be easier. New transport options, walkable paths, and greener ways to move around will make it accessible to all.

At the same time, cultural welfare initiatives will reach vulnerable communities, inspiring greater participation in Ancona’s life.

With exhibitions, talks, and events across the entire city, a genuinely inclusive cultural landscape is taking shape, but it won’t stop at the urban limits.

By involving surrounding towns and local gems, Ancona Capital of Culture 2028 will expand the experience beyond the city itself.

Some of the most anticipated events and projects for 2028 include:

– The Museum of Adriatic Sea Civilisation, directed by Dante Ferretti

– Effetto Mole – Remembering Transavanguardia 1978-2028, an exhibition at Mole Vanvitelliana

– Genii Urbis, a citywide digital theatre project

– Design Sea Week

– The Intercultural Dialogue Award

– Exhibitions spanning from Lotto and Titian to Turner at the Civic Art Gallery F. Podesti

– Dio è Femmina, a project at the National Archaeological Museum of Marche

– The 2028 opera season

– The Butterfly House, a semi-free butterfly habitat in Parco del Cardeto

– "The Four Gates of the Park", new info points across the Cardeto park

– Cinematica Festival, exploring body, space, and digital innovation

– Urban trekking routes

– Adriatico Mediterraneo Festival

If 2028 still feels a while away, now is actually an excellent time to discover Ancona.

Start from the port area, with a stop at the Mole Vanvitelliana, an 18th-century architectural gem designed by Luigi Vanvitelli. It’s a multi-purpose cultural space and will be a key hub for Ancona Capital of Culture 2028. It’s also home to the Omero State Tactile Museum, one of the very few of its kind in the world, alongside the Auditorium Orfeo Tamburi.

Next, make your way through the historic centre towards the Passetto, the city’s go-to beach. Along the route, you’ll pass some of Ancona’s standout landmarks: Teatro delle Muse in Piazza della Repubblica, the Cathedral of San Ciriaco overlooking the sea, and the Fountain of the Thirteen Spouts in Piazza Roma.

For a nature break, head to Parco del Cardeto, Ancona’s green heart. Here you can explore the ancient Jewish cemetery, one of the largest and best preserved in Europe, and take in sweeping views from the old lighthouse.

What to see in Ancona in 2026: don’t-miss spots and events

– Piazza Cavour, the main stage for Ancona’s summer music programme, with live shows from acclaimed Italian artists in July and August

– Piazza del Plebiscito

– Viale della Vittoria

– The Roman Amphitheatre

– The War Memorial (Monumento ai Caduti)

– Church of San Domenico, home to works by Guercino and Titian

– The Civic Art Gallery, where you can see the Gozzi Altarpiece by Titian

– Street art in the Capodimonte district

– The Arch of Trajan

– Loggia dei Mercanti, a striking medieval trading hall in the heart of the city

– Valadier Temple (Genga, Ancona province)

– Frasassi Caves (Ancona province) 

The Italian Capital of Culture is a title awarded each year by the Italian Ministry of Culture to promote tourism, heritage, and cultural development in an Italian city through events, investment, and dedicated projects.

Ancona, the Italian Capital of Culture 2028, was selected for its dossier “Ancona. Questo adesso”, which focuses on urban regeneration and cultural welfare through forward-thinking initiatives.

During Ancona Capital of Culture 2028, the city will host exhibitions, festivals, performances, art installations, and events across multiple locations, with a strong focus on maritime heritage, visual arts, digital creativity, and the broader culture in the Marche region.