The project was founded in 2009, from an idea of the Fuoriscala association, with the intent to confront the needs of our environment and our society in a more dynamic and interesting way. The event intended, since the beginning, to speak to everybody and in doing so has tried to use contemporary culture in all its manifold expressions in order to gain interest and stimulate the consciousness in all of us.

In 2009, in collaboration with the city council of Verona and Amia Spa, the first edition was held in the suggestive location of the Palace of Ragione, in the heart of the historic centre of Verona. The festival offered more then a week of events, exhibitions, workshops, markets of re-design and discussions, welcoming 14,000 visitors of all ages. Four major solo exhibitions of Arte Povera were displayed. The courtyard hosted different arts, markets, re-design of objects, educational games for kids and much more. The laboratory of re-design held by Resign set up an organic bar, serving food and drinks more naturally.

Onirica in 2010, still in collaboration with the City of Verona and Amia spa, moved in front of the Arena, in the prestigious Palazzo della Gran Guardia, with ten days of musical events, visual arts, performative arts, theatre and dance. The contemporary art exhibition “What’s the Matter?” (focused on reducing the use of materials), sustainable design displays, thematic workshops and organic food and wine tastings were included in this festival.

In 2011, after having dealt with issues of recycling and waste reduction in previous editions, Onirica decides that it’s time to get its hands dirty and decides to give us something to “make”: OniricaLab was born, a season of busy activities, focused on design and laboratory training. To accomplish this it moved again and it is now hosted by the association Interzona.

The set was provided by Reverse and so it started a new venture dedicated to the world of “Makers”.The goal is an event-laboratory where all visitors can discover the desire to “make”, a recovery of old habits and customs, to develop their individual and manual creativity.