Cauthamente, the festival that brings science to the heart of Cortona

The fifth edition of Cauthamente brings science, art and technology to Cortona, from 14 to 17 October

The event at a glance

• What: Festival della Scienza Cauthamente (Cauthamente Science Festival), 5th edition – "Quando ogni altra luce si spegne" ("When every other light goes out")
• When: Wednesday 14 to Saturday 17 October 2026
• Where: Centro Convegni Sant'Agostino (Sant'Agostino Conference Centre), Via Guelfa, Cortona (AR), with events also in the squares and other venues around town
• Admission: free
• Who it's for: professionals, students, families and curious minds of all ages
• Organiser: the Cautha cultural association

From 14 to 17 October, Cortona lights up with science once again. For four days the town becomes a great City of Science, with talks, workshops, exhibitions, science games and conversations. This year's theme is light in all its forms: from science to technology, from medicine to art, and on to the stories and ideas that help us see the world with fresh eyes.

The story: a young festival that grew quickly

Cauthamente was founded in 2022 by Cautha, a cultural association run by young people from the area. By its second edition, in 2023, the festival already ran for three days and brought more than thirty guests to Cortona, with the local high schools of the Valdichiana taking part. Over the years it has welcomed scientists, journalists and science communicators with large social media followings, and its themes have widened from science in the strict sense to archaeology, design and linguistics.

Each edition has a guiding theme: connection in 2023, "Il folle volo" ("The mad flight") in 2025, and now light. The heart of the festival is the restored Gothic church of Sant'Agostino, now an auditorium, with the medieval cloister next door hosting exhibitions and meetings.

The guests: communicators, researchers and cultural figures

A wide range of voices take the stage at Cauthamente. The 2026 line-up includes Pierpaolo Sileri, Pietro Morello, Riccardo Azzali (Filosofiascienza), environmental communicator Elisa Nicoli, Pietro Manning and Marco Martinelli (Marco il Giallino). Alongside them are scholars such as Andrey Varlamov, Diederik Wiersma and Shimon Schocken.

The talks cover the future, artificial intelligence, the environment, health, technology and much more. The grand finale, on Saturday 17 October, features Eugenio in Via Di Gioia.

The exhibitions: light as told by art

The festival presents new exhibitions that explore light through different languages:

• works by Alessandro Malossi
• cartoons by Antonio Schiena
• the naturografie (artworks shaped by natural elements) of Roberto Ghezzi
• "La forma della luce" ("The shape of light") by Eidos, a project that portrays light as presence, direction and something built together

The collaborations with Cortona On The Move, Luigi Suglia and Bunch of Bones also continue.

How the festival works: workshops, games and books for 1 euro

Cauthamente involves schools, universities, researchers and families, with workshops, talks and activities for every age. For the youngest visitors there are science games, experiments and workshops run entirely by Leo Scienza, designed to bring children and teenagers closer to science through curiosity and fun.

"Uno, nessuno e centomila" ("One, no one and one hundred thousand") also returns: thousands of books donated by the community, on sale for 1 euro each to support scientific research and the Glio.Ma – Marco Calicchia association.

Why it's worth the trip

Cauthamente is a free festival, open to everyone, where science, art and community meet in the historic centre of one of Tuscany's most beautiful towns. In four days you can listen to researchers and communicators, visit the exhibitions, join the workshops with your children and stroll through Cortona in its autumn colours. The message of this edition is simple: together, even in the dark, we can find a light to start again from.

Where to stay for Cauthamente

Villa Santa Margherita is a few minutes' walk from the Centro Convegni Sant'Agostino: the ideal base for following the talks at your own pace, heading back for the evening events and enjoying Cortona in October. Discover our rooms and the offers available for the festival days.