Premio Verdi – National Cabaret Award hosted in Bologna

Among the most representative projects of his commitment to promoting Italian comedy, Gaetano Lanza conceived and organised the Premio Verdi – National Cabaret Award in Bologna: a competition dedicated to emerging comedic talent, hosted in the evocative setting of Piazza Verdi, the beating heart of the city’s cultural district.

Supported with conviction by the Municipality of Bologna, the initiative was born with a twofold objective: to give visibility to up-and-coming comedians and to show how art, culture, and entertainment can help regenerate sensitive urban spaces, returning them to the community in a festive, participatory atmosphere.
The format included official prizes awarded by a technical jury, alongside an Audience Award – turning the square into not only a stage but also a space for direct involvement. Many of the participants, often trained within the Zelig Lab Bologna, later achieved national success, entering the world of TV cabaret and stand up comedy.

Premio Verdi reaffirmed Bologna as a city that believes in culture as a driver of social transformation, where even a laugh can become an act of civic engagement.