RUFA at Design Talks 2026

RUFA returns to the Romaeuropa Festival for a new edition of Design Talks, a day entirely dedicated to graphic design and visual culture, taking place on Saturday 26 September 2026 at Mattatoio in Rome.

Curated by RUFA lecturer Stefano Cipolla and Studio Mistaker, with coordination by David Aprea, the event brings together graphic designers, illustrators, typographers, studios and a new generation of creatives through talks, encounters, visual performances, workshops and a market dedicated to independent publishing. A programme that turns visual design into a space for exchange, experimentation and reflection on the present.

Once again this year, RUFA will take part in THESIS PROJECTS, the format that brings students and lecturers from RUFA and other Design Academies in Rome to the stage to present a thesis project selected to represent their respective institutions. Moderated by Martina Tariciotti, the event will take place from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Mattatoio T1.

Representing RUFA will be Giuseppe Elia, Alumnus of the Bachelor’s Degree in Visual and Innovation Design, with Saturn Festival, his thesis project supervised by lecturer Emanuele Cappelli.

Saturn Festival was developed as the visual identity for a travelling electronic music festival, conceived as an experiential ecosystem where sound, nature and local identity come together to create a multisensory language.

The project develops a dynamic and generative visual identity, conceived not as a static graphic system, but as a language capable of evolving and adapting to the different locations, content and experiences of the festival.

The aim is to create a space where artists can experiment and audiences can immerse themselves in visual and sonic experiences capable of activating new forms of perception. From this perspective, the festival also becomes a tool for reflecting on urban and territorial regeneration, environmental awareness and the creation of new connections between people and communities.

The project reflects Giuseppe Elia’s interdisciplinary approach to visual communication. A Visual Designer interested in the intersection of different creative fields, Elia works across branding, motion design, art direction and visual experimentation, bringing art, technology and design together within a coherent and constantly evolving language.

Participation in THESIS PROJECTS offers a further opportunity to bring the outcomes of RUFA students’ research beyond the Academy and place them in dialogue with some of the leading institutions and voices in design education and culture in Rome.