Engaging with contemporary art also means giving trust and space to new generations of comic book readers. Thanks to the invaluable support of the Otto per Mille funds from the Soka Gakkai Italian Buddhist Institute, by means of the call for applications entitled "Support and Promotion of Young People's Artistic Expression," the 2025 edition of A Occhi Aperti focuses on the youth.

To introduce new readers to comics, A occhi aperti 2025 promotes content and activities aimed at boys and girls.

Starting November 10th, libraries in the Libraries and Cultural Welfare Sector of the Municipality of Bologna will be offering Altri mondi, three bibliographies of comic book stories dedicated to three different age groups: 6-10, 11-13, and 14-19 year-olds. The stories were selected based on the festival's theme, "Adjacent Worlds," and represent some of the most interesting releases on the Italian publishing scene. These narratives take an original route to showcase the best of comics, transporting readers to magical worlds unknown to most, fantastical places of the imagination, and unreal and mysterious lands.

All the titles presented will also be on display at the Salaborsa Library and available to borrow from November 10th to December 13th.

In collaboration with the Liceo Artistico Arcangeli, the festival is also organizing a program of guided tours of exhibitions and workshops designed for the school's students. The program, dedicated to six classes of aspiring illustrators, will unfold over the course of the school year; and, in addition to the guided tour, participants will be invited to read comics and actively engage in the creation of new stories, so as to challenge themselves with the use of language.



Find the Altri mondi bibliographies in Bologna's libraries or download them below!

> Reading recommendations for ages 7 to 10

> Reading recommendations for ages 11 to 13

> Reading recommendations for ages 14 and up