This article was originally written by Kate Pounds and Luciano Magaldi Sardella for SWNS — the U.K.’s largest independent news agency, providing globally relevant original, verified, and engaging content to the world’s leading media outlets.
A small Italian town that was on the brink of desertion is now attracting thousands of tourists after artists from around the world were commissioned to paint colorful murals on the sides of shops and homes.
Stornara, in the Puglia region, was once known for producing wheat and olives, but began to decline as fewer babies were being born and more young people were opting for jobs in big cities rather than going into agriculture.
Local artist Lino Lombardi, 57, grew frustrated watching his hometown “crumbling” around him — and was determined to make it a destination worth visiting. So in 2018 he hosted the first annual Stramurales street art festival, inviting foreign artists to paint murals in the town.
“I started looking at the walls as blank canvases which could be turned into something beautiful,” Lombardi told SWNS, adding: “At first people thought I was crazy, but I couldn’t just watch the town fade away.”
Six murals were created for the inaugural event, and there are now more than 140 striking scenes adorning walls throughout Stornara — and adorning the social media feeds of impressed residents and visitors. The 2025 festival is running this month, with a range of international artists bringing their creativity to the town.
Revenue through tourism has reportedly increased by 25% since 2020, and eight new businesses have opened, including two restaurants, three bed and breakfasts, and an art supplies shop. Even more impressive: Locals say the town’s population has stopped declining and begun to grow again as young families move back to Stornara.
Antonio Maglione was considering closing the cafe he owns in the town, until his 10 customers a day turned into lines of people threading out the door.
“Suddenly there were loads of people turning up with cameras and guidebooks,” he said. “I had to quickly learn to say ‘welcome’ in five different languages. The murals saved my business, but more than that, they saved our community.”
Rita Gensano, 45, was gutted to see how desolate the locale was when she returned in 2017 to care for her parents after 20 years in Turin. Now she says it’s “the coolest town in Italy.”
She added: “When I first returned it felt like a sacrifice, it was like walking into a ghost town. I had left it full of life and laughter but when I returned it felt like it was dying. But actually it has become something extraordinary which I have been fortunate to be a part of.”
And other struggling towns have appealed for help from the art festival’s organizers following Stornara’s success.
“Art doesn’t just decorate our walls, it reminds us that even small places can dream big. Our community has painted itself back to life, one wall at a time,” Lombardi emphasized. “Every mural reflects both the artist’s vision and our community’s heart. We never planned to be a case study, but if our experience can help other communities that’s even more meaningful.”
He also started a charity, Stornara Life APS, which runs art workshops for high school students.
The 140-plus murals spread throughout the town’s streets and historic squares are inspired by Stornara’s agricultural past, migration, and the townsfolk, among other themes. Residents get to vote on proposed themes for murals ahead of each festival, when the paintings are created.
Salvatore Nappi, 69, a retired olive farmer, said: “We had lost our pride, but the murals reminded us that our town and our stories are worth celebrating.”
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