From 22 to 25 October 2026, NABA will take part in BIG, Biennale Internazionale Grafica, a free festival dedicated to communication design and visual cultures, conceived and curated by Francesco Dondina and held across multiple venues in Milan.
The Academy will contribute three initiatives organised by the Communication and Graphic Design Area: “NABA Paper Jam”, an exhibition dedicated to independent publishing at the NABA Milan campus; “This Charming Mag: independent publishing as an educational project”, a talk at the ADI Design Museum; and “Reinventing Centrale”, an exhibition of rebranding projects for the Centrale dell’Acqua di Milano, developed in collaboration with MM Spa and open from 19 to 30 October. Through the work of students, Alumni, and industry professionals, and the exchange of ideas between them, these events will explore graphic design as a means of research and cultural production that can open up new forms of dialogue with the public.
NABA at BIG, Biennale Internazionale Grafica 2026: NABA Paper Jam
On Friday 23 October, from 10.00 AM to 8.00 PM, Spazio Arena at the NABA Milan campus (Via C. Darwin 20) will host the first edition of “NABA Paper Jam”, with concept and art direction by NABA lecturer Gregorio Poggetti.
The exhibition will convey the vitality of independent publishing through projects by NABA students and Alumni. Magazines, fanzines, posters, illustrated prints, artists’ books, stickers, gamebooks, and other paper-based experiments will create a space to discuss the possibilities of independent publishing, inviting exploration of new visual languages and forms of storytelling.
Throughout the day, students on the BA in Comics and Visual Storytelling will take part in live drawing, while visitors will be able to join a bookbinding workshop from 10.30 AM, organised in collaboration with Favini, to experiment with techniques and practices used in publishing.
At 5.30 PM, a public pitching session will give selected participants the opportunity to present their projects to a jury of publishing and visual communication professionals. The jurors will include Francesca Spiller, founder of Reading Room; Domenico Liberti, partner at Studio FM Milano; and Emiliano Biondelli, founder of BlisterZine. The jury will select the winning project, which will have an opportunity to be showcased publicly.
Admission is free, subject to registration on Eventbrite.
NABA at BIG, Biennale Internazionale Grafica 2026: the This Charming Mag talk
On Sunday 25 October at 5.30 PM, the ADI Design Museum in Milan, the festival’s main hub, will host “This Charming Mag: independent publishing as an educational project”, a talk exploring the role of independent publishing in research and education at the Academy.
Drawing on a selection of magazines created in recent years by students on NABA’s MA in Visual Design and Marketing Communication, the discussion will trace the creative process behind an independent publication, from developing the concept and defining the art direction to creating the content and designing the graphics. It will explore the magazine as a means of developing new visual languages and narrative approaches through design research.
Roberto Maria Clemente, Art Director and NABA lecturer, will be in conversation with Francesca Spiller of Reading Room, Giulio Vescovi, founder and Creative Director of inCFstudio, and Manuela Irena D’Orsi, Managing Editor of nss edicola, Editor of nss magazine and NABA alumna. Fabio Pelagalli, Course Leader of NABA’s MAs in Visual Design and Marketing Communication and User Experience Design, will introduce the talk.
Admission to the talk is free, subject to availability.
NABA at BIG, Biennale Internazionale Grafica 2026: the Reinventing Centrale exhibition
Completing the Academy’s contribution will be “Reinventing Centrale”, a project developed in collaboration with MM Spa. The exhibition will be hosted at the Centrale dell’Acqua di Milano (Piazza Diocleziano 5, Milan) from 19 to 30 October 2026, with a presentation event on Thursday 22 October at 5.00 PM.
Visitors will be able to discover nine proposals to rebrand the Centrale dell’Acqua di Milano, developed by students on NABA’s MA in Visual Design and Marketing Communication under the guidance of lecturer Davide Bignotti.
Taking as their starting point an analysis of the institution’s role as MM Spa’s corporate museum and its relationship with the local area, the students developed new design proposals to present the Centrale as a space for education, culture and enquiry. Through its logo, colour palettes, typographic systems, visual imagery and layout systems, each proposal creates a distinct visual identity.
The projects demonstrate how communication design can help enhance cultural heritage and strengthen dialogue with the public, creating new ways for institutions and communities to engage with one another.
Admission to both the exhibition and the presentation event is free.
NABA at BIG, Biennale Internazionale Grafica 2026: event details
NABA Paper Jam
Friday 23 October, from 10.00 AM to 8.00 PM
Public pitching session at 5.30 PM
Spazio Arena, NABA Milan campus
Via C. Darwin 20, Milan
Free admission, subject to registration on Eventbrite
This Charming Mag: independent publishing as an educational project
Sunday 25 October at 5.30 PM
ADI Design Museum
Piazza Compasso d’Oro 1, Milan
Free admission
Reinventing Centrale, in collaboration with MM Spa
Exhibition open from 19 to 30 October 2026
Opening hours: Monday–Wednesday, 2.00 PM–7.30 PM; Friday–Sunday, 10.00 AM–1.00 PM and 2.00 PM–7.30 PM
Presentation event: Thursday 22 October at 5.00 PM
Centrale dell’Acqua di Milano
Piazza Diocleziano 5, Milan
Free admission