L'Aquila is the Italian Capital of Culture 2026. It was proclaimed by the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano, during the ceremony underway in Rome.
The jury was chaired by Davide Maria Desario and composed of Virginia Lozito, Luisa Piacentini, Andrea Prencipe, Andrea Rebaglio, Daniela Tisi, Isabella Valente. The finalist cities were Agnone (Isernia), Alba (Cuneo), Gaeta (Latina), L'Aquila, Latina, Lucera (Foggia), Maratea (Potenza), Rimini, Treviso.