Visioni di Futuro, Visioni di Teatro is an international festival of theatre and culture for early years, organised by La Baracca – Testoni Ragazzi. Since its first edition in 2004, the festival has taken place annually in Bologna, Italy, at Teatro Testoni Ragazzi, becoming a unique event in the Italian cultural landscape.
The festival offers a rich program of performances for children aged 0 to 6 and their families, presented by Italian and international companies. Alongside the shows, it hosts conferences, round tables, seminars, and workshops for teachers, educators, and artists, all focused on the relationship between art and early childhood.For its innovative work and commitment to promoting theatre for the very young, La Baracca received the ASSITEJ Award for Artistic Excellence in 2008. Now preparing its 23rd edition, the festival is co-programmed with the Municipality of Bologna and has been continuously co-financed by EACEA since its inception.A distinctive feature of Visioni is its integration with local early childhood services: artists are given access to municipal crèches and preschools, allowing for direct interaction with very young children in their everyday environments. This has led to the development of several experimental projects:- AMEY – Artists Meet Early Years: An international call for artists under 35, offering the opportunity to present new artistic ideas in the form of studio works within early childhood services. In 2020, AMEY selected 12 proposals from 36 artists across 18 countries. - A Story About to Begin: In May 2021, when access to services was restricted, La Baracca launched Visionifestival.it, a digital platform that enabled three crèches to host online performances, continuing artistic engagement despite limitations.- 0/3 Chiama Italia: A national initiative encouraging Italian theatre companies to create work for the 0–3 age group. In 2022, three companies with no prior experience in this field were invited to develop new productions, with the possibility of being programmed at Visioni. The upcoming edition, scheduled from 9th to 15th March 2026, will feature: 1 masterclass with 20 international artists, 33 performances for schools and families, 4 shows inside local crèches, international meetings and many workshops with guests from around the world. Thanks to Visioni, Bologna welcomes over 300 cultural delegates from across the globe each year, making the city a vibrant hub for dialogue, exchange, and innovation in performing arts for early years.We are looking forward to meeting you in Bologna! For any further inquiry, please contact festival@testoniragazzi.it
Additional details: The festival has led to the development of several experimental projects: 1)AMEY – Artists Meet Early Years: An international call for artists under 35, offering the opportunity to present new artistic ideas in the form of studio works within early childhood services. 2) A Story About to Begin: In May 2021, when access to services was restricted, La Baracca launched Visionifestival.it, a digital platform that enabled three crèches to host online performances, continuing artistic engagement despite limitations. 3) 0/3 Chiama Italia: A national initiative encouraging Italian theatre companies to create work for the 0–3 age group. The upcoming edition, scheduled from 8th to 15th March 2026, will feature: 38 performances for schools and families, 4 shows inside local crèches, 6 international meetings, 10 workshops with guests from around the world, 17 participating companies, including 11 international ones. We do not have a fixed delegate programme concentrated in a few days; instead, delegates are free to attend at their convenience. To make their stay easier, we arrange significant discounts with nearby hotels and provide letters of invitation to support any funding requests.