Smart Life Festival 

The Smart Life Festival is a cultural and multidisciplinary project held annually in Modena, aiming to explore and understand the impact of digital technologies on contemporary society. Promoted by the Municipality of Modena in collaboration with local academic and cultural institutions, the festival serves as an open laboratory for critical reflection and active participation on themes of innovation, digital culture, and ongoing social transformations.

Mission and Vision
The festival was established to foster dialogue among citizens, experts, institutions, and businesses, addressing the challenges and opportunities brought by the digital transition. Through an inclusive and interdisciplinary approach, the Smart Life Festival seeks to promote a conscious digital culture capable of integrating new technologies into the social, economic, and cultural fabric of the territory.
Each edition of the festival is centered around a core theme that guides the programming of events. In 2024, the theme "True, False, X" focused on the distinction between reality and fiction in the era of generative artificial intelligence and post-truth.
The festival is structured into several thematic areas, including Smart Tech, Smart Journalism, Smart School, Smart Politics, Smart Art, Smart Justice, Smart Food, Smart Design, Smart Ecology, Smart Work & Professions, and Smart Music.
These sections allow for an in-depth exploration of the digital impact across various aspects of daily life through talks, workshops, exhibitions, performances, and labs.

The festival is the result of a network of collaborations among public entities, cultural institutions, universities, and local organizations. Key partners include the Collegio San Carlo Foundation, the Modena Foundation, the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, the Democenter Foundation, the Modena Chamber of Commerce, and the Province of Modena. These partnerships ensure a rich and diverse program that engages a wide audience.

The Smart Life Festival in Modena has hosted, in its most recent editions, a number of internationally renowned artists, intellectuals, and innovators who have contributed to exploring the intersections between technology, art, science, and society.