The Sound of Art | Jazz, Exhibition and Live Painting in the Garden of the Arts

From July 2 to July 30, 2026, every Thursday at 9:00 PM, the enchanting setting of Zu.Art – Giardino delle Arti of Fondazione Zucchelli will host The Sound of Art | Jazz, Exhibition and Live Painting in the Garden of the Arts, a series of five artistic and musical events presented in collaboration with the Department of New Languages and Musical Technologies of the Giovan Battista Martini Conservatory of Music in Bologna.

This eighth edition will showcase the most talented students from the Conservatory's Jazz and Applied Music programs, performing alongside leading figures from the local and international jazz scene, including Davide Brillante, Alessandro Scala, Tony Cattano and Christian Bouathongsavang.

• July 2 – Martini Tenors
  A tenor saxophone ensemble led by jazz saxophonist Barend Middelhoff, featuring special guest guitarist Davide Brillante. Also performing: Valerio Garagnani, Zhou Cong, Pietro Ceccarelli, Leonardo Bocchia and Giovanni Angeli.
• July 9 – Echoes of the Blue Note Era
  A tribute to the legendary Blue Note label conceived by trumpeter Giovanni Amato. Special guest Alessandro Scala joins Luca Silvestroni, Christian Bouathongsavang, Antonio Vivone, Lorenzo Pascale and Bernardo Cortesi.
• July 16 – Stumble Quartet & Tony Cattano
  The internationally acclaimed Stumble Quartet joins trombonist Tony Cattano for a program featuring original compositions and fresh interpretations of jazz classics.
• July 23 – Christian Bouathongsavang Quartet
  The quartet led by Christian Bouathongsavang, winner of the 2026 Giardina Prize, will perform alongside Antonio Vivone, Leonardo Bocchia and Giovanni Angeli.
• July 30 – Martini Arrangers Workshop: The World of Film Scores
  Students from Michele Corcella's Jazz Composition class will present arrangements inspired by iconic movie soundtracks, performed by the Martini Conservatory Large Ensemble under Corcella's direction.

Curated by artistic director Gregory Burk, the festival is organized and promoted by Fondazione Zucchelli and is part of Bologna Estate 2026, the summer cultural program coordinated by the Municipality and Metropolitan City of Bologna.

On concert evenings, from 7:00 PM to 11:30 PM, visitors will also be able to explore All of a Sudden, a collective exhibition featuring outstanding young artists from the Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna, winners of the Zucchelli Competition 2025 and Art Up Awards 2025, curated by the Parsec collective.

On July 9, 16 and 23, audiences can also experience Synesthetic Encounters, a project curated by Valentina Palmi and promoted by Studio la Linea Verticale, where visual artists will translate live jazz improvisation into real-time painting performances.