From 11 to 13 October 2024, Villa Ciani will become the nerve center of international comics, with the participation of 60 artists in InnovaComiX, 40 talks, 400 original works on display and the awarding of 9 prizes

InnovaComiX is born: an international festival to celebrate the ninth art in Lugano

From 11 to 13 October 2024, Villa Ciani in Lugano will host the first edition of InnovaComiX – Lugano International Comic Art Festival, an innovative project conceived by Cristina Rogna Manassero and with the artistic direction of Ludwig G. Maglione. The event, organized by the company InnovaComiX SA, is destined to become an unmissable event for all comics fans, thanks to the participation of 60 artists from 10 different countries, 40 talks and 400 original works on display.

The guests of this first edition include illustrious names such as Tom Tirabosco, Silvia Ziche, Reinhard Kleist, Grazia La Padula, Alba BG, Davilorium, Lorenzo Palloni, Giuseppe Palumbo, Fanny Vaucher and Thomas Von Kummant. Furthermore, the festival posters were created by three prominent artists: Massimiliano Frezzato, Sacha Goerg and Lèa Murawiec, representing the stylistic and generational diversity of the world of comics.

“InnovaComiX was born reflecting on the value, passion and great potential that this artistic segment has acquired”, explains Cristina Rogna Manassero, General Director and co-founder of the festival. “From the privileged observatory of the Lucchetti Gallery in Lugano, in ten years we have frequented and shared the emotions and interests of many artists and collectors, an increasingly active panorama with a new awareness. Our festival talks about art and contemporaneity, culture and growing international interest in this form of expression. Not everyone knows that for many of the most influential historians of the subject, comics was born in Switzerland in 1831, with the work of the pedagogue and politician Rodolphe Töpffer “Histoire de Monsieur Jabot”. For this reason it is also a homecoming."

The internationality of the festival is evident not only in the participation of artists from countries such as Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany, Iran, Japan, Lebanon, Poland and China, but also in the variety of works and styles presented. Among the prominent names are Majid Bita, Midori Yamane, Lina Ghaibeh, Przemysław “Trust” Truściński and Yile Gao. This rich audience of guests confirms the festival's intent to explore and celebrate comics in all its forms, from manual to digital.

“InnovaComiX represents a new vision of comics as a contemporary art form,” says Ludwig G. Maglione, artistic director of the festival. “Our ambition is to create an event that highlights not only the authors and their works, but also the dialogue between the past, present and future of comics. Villa Ciani, with its historical charm, is the perfect place to host this meeting between tradition and innovation.”

The festival program includes 40 meetings, in which artists and enthusiasts will be able to discuss topics related to the ninth art, exploring new ideas and perspectives. Furthermore, 400 original works will be exhibited on the three floors of Villa Ciani, divided into thematic areas and a section dedicated to the works nominated for the Grand Prix City of Lugano, which will award the prestigious Cygne d'Or. The prizes, worth 2.000 francs each, will be divided into five main categories: Best comic, Best series, Best drawing, Best writing and Best colour, as well as four special prizes, including the Audience Award and the Innova Award.

There will be no shortage of activities for the little ones, with a kids area full of events and free workshops, designed to introduce young people to the world of comics and stimulate their creativity.

“The City of Lugano enthusiastically supported the InnovaComiX project, offering the prestigious venue of Villa Ciani to host this event,” declares Roberto Badaracco, vice mayor and head of the Department of culture, sport and events of Lugano. “Our goal is to make Lugano one of the European nerve centers of comics, offering fans and the curious the opportunity to meet the protagonists of this extraordinary form of expression up close.”

InnovaComiX promises to be a one-of-a-kind event, attracting an international audience and strengthening Lugano's connection with the ninth art. For more information about the festival and to book workshops and lectures, visit the official InnovaComiX website.

About InnovaComiX

The InnovaComiX Festival is promoted by the La Nona Arte Cultural Association and created by the company InnovaComiX SA, founded in 2023. The general direction is entrusted to Cristina Rogna Manassero, while the artistic direction is curated by Ludwig G. Maglione. The festival was developed on the initiative of the City of Lugano and under its supervision.

For more information, visit the InnovaComiX website.