Ten years of the Podcasting Festival: from Palermo to Milan, podcasts are taking Italy by storm
Local events taking place across Italia will kick off the 2026 edition of the festival. In Milan on 2 and 3 October, the Festival will feature two days dedicated to the industry and creators, covering AI, multi-channel content, video podcasts, insights, workshops, Podcast Pitch and awards. On 3 October, there will be a panel discussion organised by 24 ORE Podcast and the POD24 award for the best independent investigative and reportage podcasts.
The 2026 Podcasting Festival is revving up. From 21 to 30 September, a network of local events will lead the public towards the two-day event on 2 and 3 October at Cascina Triulza, in the MIND Milano Innovation District, dedicated to the changes that are transforming podcasting and digital audio through new forms of expression, artificial intelligence, video podcasts, news, branded content and business models.
Directed by Ester Memeo and organised by Podstar, in the year of its tenth anniversary, Italia’s first and longest-running event dedicated to podcasting is thus expanding its national reach. The aim remains the same as that of the first edition in 2016: to bring together creators, publishers, companies and communications professionals, offering practical opportunities for training and networking.
The Festival kicks off with a series of events
From 21 to 30 September, a series of events will take the Festival to various Italian cities, including Milan, Genoa, Rimini, Rome, Trieste, Piacenza, Viggiano (PZ), Rieti and Palermo, as well as a series of online events. The programme includes professional training courses focusing on the relationship between podcasts and journalism – organised in collaboration with the Journalists’ Associations of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna – public meetings, group listening sessions, sound walks, live podcasts and networking opportunities. This programme will serve as a prelude to the Milan event and demonstrate how podcasts have now found a place in radio stations, museums, schools, newsrooms and cultural venues.
Two days, two identities
Friday 2 October will be Industry Day, primarily aimed at brands, platforms, producers and agencies. The programme will focus on the strategic use of podcasts, branded content, multi-channel strategies, the integration of audio, SEO and artificial intelligence, advertising and new business models. The new NielsenIQ research commissioned by Audible, focusing on listening trends and the profile of Italian listeners, will be presented. The use of AI in the production and use of the voice will also be explored, examining what remains irreplaceably human when generative technologies enter the creative process. There will also be workshops and practical sessions for those wishing to improve their podcasting skills, with sessions dedicated to writing for the ear, data-driven multi-channel strategies, sound editing and vocal delivery.
Saturday 3 October will be Creator Day, an event open to the public and dedicated to podcasters and professionals looking to grow their projects. In the Auditorium, the programme will focus on promotion, discoverability, monetisation and distribution. The Academy Room will host a mix of live podcasts, presentations and workshops. The Podcast Pitch is also back – a space where creators can present their projects directly to producers, publishers and industry professionals. The proposals will be assessed and listened to by Andrea Borgnino from RaiPlay Sound, Alessandra Scaglioni from Radio 24 and 24Ore Podcast, and Giuseppe Paternò Raddusa, author and screenwriter, with Ester Memeo acting as moderator.
