The village of Dozza hosts the thirtieth Painted Wall Biennial

From September 15 to 21, 2025, the village of Dozza once again transforms into a magnificent open-air art gallery for the thirtieth edition of the celebrated Biennale del Muro Dipinto (Biennial of the Painted Wall). This year’s theme, “Save the Wall”, highlights the preservation of mural works that have made Dozza a national capital of public art. The streets of the village, its alleys, and the nearby hamlet of Toscanella become the stage for both masterful restorations and new creations, in a continuous dialogue between memory and innovation that engages the entire community. Promoted by the Dozza Città d’Arte Foundation and the Municipality of Dozza, the initiative is one of the most anticipated events in the Italian art scene, celebrating sixty years of interventions and murals that have forever changed the face of the town.

The 2025 edition takes the form of a double laboratory: on the one hand, restoration, with twenty interventions on historic works threatened by time and climate; on the other, the creation of four new installations that stimulate debate on public art and its role in today’s social context. The title “Save the Wall” is an explicit invitation to care for a heritage that speaks not only of the evolution of mural aesthetics but also of the collective history of Dozza and the generations who have lived there. Works such as Nevio Bedeschi’s L’uomo e la macchina (1963) and Remo Pasetto’s Muratore (1967) shine once again thanks to the commitment of skilled restorers. Likewise, more recent murals by Eron, Tano Pisano, and Gino Pellegrini are being safeguarded as living testimony to contemporary creativity.

The Biennale 2025 is not limited to protecting the past. Among its protagonists are Augusto Giuffredi, artist and restorer, who will create Portale in Via De Amicis, and Lara Ilaria Braconi, a Milanese painter known for her introspective research, who will bring to life Illuminata at Via De Amicis 26. These works engage with the local environment, actively involving students and families, and reflect on the relationship between nature, the urban setting, and the human condition. Toscanella is also an integral part of the event, with projects by Marco Lazzarato, professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, and Andrea Gualandri, educator and artist, who has created a moving mural dedicated to the memory of a young athlete.

The program highlights the Notte del Muro Dipinto, scheduled for Thursday, September 18, featuring meetings, performances, and guided tours of the new works. The Rocca of Dozza becomes a cultural hub, hosting the exhibitions Muri perduti. Conservare per non smarrire, curated by Agnese Tonelli and dedicated to the memory of lost walls, and Ritorno a Dozza. Germano Sartelli, carte e sculture, which explores local history through documents and previously unseen works. Running until November 9, these exhibitions offer a valuable overview of the village’s layered artistic history.

With more than 100 murals created since 1960, Dozza confirms itself as a true guardian of beauty, where past and present dialogue seamlessly. The active participation of residents and schools enriches the social value of the Biennale, transmitting not only technical and artistic skills but also ideas of inclusion, memory, and shared care for public spaces. Through cultural partnerships with Vieste and Oliveto Citra, the event strengthens its network of relations and opens up to different languages and sensibilities, demonstrating how art can weave connections between distant realities.

The most debated intervention of the 2025 edition concerns Paolo Barbieri’s Il respiro del drago, severely damaged and now at the center of a delicate conservation “strappo” (detachment). The decision to save what remains of the work becomes a metaphor for the constant battle against oblivion and destruction. What unfolds within the walls of Dozza is thus the story of a territory that, from a small hilltop village, has become a vital workshop, a place of encounter and experimentation. The artists at work are the visible face of a community that nurtures beauty not only as material heritage but also as a starting point for imagining new urban and social horizons.

The Biennale continues its journey with “off” initiatives such as an event in Grizzana Morandi and with the promotion of public art as part of the Bologna Estate 2025 program. Entry to the village during the festival is free, a choice that encourages participation from families, tourists, experts, and the curious. The immersive experience of the murals is further enriched through audio guides and personalized itineraries, offering visitors the chance to discover the painted village and absorb the magical atmosphere created during the event week.

The XXX Biennale del Muro Dipinto in Dozza stands out as a landmark event for the culture of conservation, for the valorization of territory, and for the live production of art. The synergy between restorers, artists, and citizens transforms every wall into a story, ready to be shared and experienced by those who walk through the village’s narrow streets. The enchantment of colors, the memory of historic creations, and the new visions tied to environment and community reaffirm Dozza’s role as a cultural outpost in Italy and Europe.

Sixty years of history and thirty years of Biennale bear witness to a clear vocation: belief in the regenerative power of art lived by the public and in dialogue with its environment. The works restored and created during this thirtieth edition rewrite the emotional map of the village, protecting heritage and building a bridge toward the future. For all, Dozza becomes a symbol of a tradition that endures, renews itself, and inspires, leaving its mark on the stones and in the imagination of those who pass through.