Announcing the new 2026 format: the hub of visual communication in Italy to meet the industry’s needs

Milano, 9 October 2025 – On Friday, October 3, the 36th edition of Viscom Italia, the international benchmark event for visual communication, came to a close. Over three days, the fair hosted exhibitions, meetings, talks, and live demonstrations, engaging professionals and companies from across Italy and abroad.

Once again, the fair proved to be a reference point for professionals, brands, creatives, and industry operators: 9,254 visitors attended the event to meet market players and discover the latest technological, applicative, and design trends of the sector. Geographically, participation was primarily driven by visitors from Lombardy, Veneto, Piedimont, Emilia-Romagna, and Lazio, while among international attendees, visitors came mainly from Switzerland, China, Germany, Spain, and Croatia.
 

The 180 brands present at the fair – including 30% new exhibitors – showcased high-impact projects, solutions, and technologies, confirming Viscom Italia as a concrete platform to discover the new directions of the market. 

The key sector remained that of printers and digital printers, demonstrating the strength of the segment, while there was also particular interest in sectors with high potential for customization and applied creativity. This was highlighted by the presence of exhibitors, event agencies and services, and professionals from the fashion and accessories field, a clear sign that visual communication is playing an increasingly significant role in the search for innovative ways to create unique, distinctive, and memorable spaces.
 

A new feature for the 2025 edition, the WonderPlace served as the fair’s scenographic centerpiece. This striking installation was created in collaboration with excellent sponsors such as 3M, ABS Group, Philips Professional Displays, and T-Shirt Makers.
In addition to showcasing the applied potential of visual communication in the retail, hospitality, and product customization sectors, the WonderPlace also hosted the latest edition of the Viscom Talks. The extensive program of meetings and debates covered crucial topics for the future of the sector, including generative artificial intelligence, environmental sustainability, temporary architectures, new regulations, and business processes.

Among the special events of Viscom Italia 2025 was the 11th edition of Elementaria, an exhibition curated by Display Italia and dedicated to exhibition design. Eight professional designers presented original prototypes for retail and brand communication, inspired by the theme “A.I.D.A. – Artificial Intelligence Display Art,” using raw materials provided by sector sponsors. Complementing the project was a Matter Gallery devoted to new materials, which offered a concrete insight into the potential of materials applied to creativity.

Also returning this year were the DIVA – Display Italia Viscom Awards, organized in collaboration with Display Italia magazine. This competition honored the best projects for retail environments, evaluated by a panel of marketing, communication, and trade experts including Cristiana Sormani (Trade Marketing Manager at Bayer) and jurors Sara Appiani (L’Oréal), Alberto Petroni (JVC Kenwood), Giuliana Castelli (H.I.C. Aldo Coppola Group), Anna Pignataro (Medspa), Patrizio Guastaferro (Mediaworld), Guido Pellizzari (Penny Market), Fabio Manitta (Fastweb + Vodafone) and Lorenzo Bono (Head of R&D at Comieco, as Sustainability Expert). The awards covered the main categories of display design, shopfitting, digital signage, and sustainability; the Best in Show DIVA Design award and the Green DIVA trophies were also up for grabs, based on innovation and eco‑compatibility criteria. The complete list of winners is available via this link.

During the recently concluded edition, a preview was given of Viscom Italia 2026, which will mark a change in the event format while staying true to its long-standing and established identity. With the goal of offering an even more effective experience that meets the real needs of the market and its professionals, Viscom will transform into the hub of visual communication in Italy. The 2026 event is scheduled for October 27 and 28 at the modern Allianz MiCo venue in the heart of Milan.

The new format—Exhibition & Conference—is designed to seamlessly combine the impact of the exhibition with the quality of a high-caliber conference program. Specifically, the 2026 edition will offer exhibitors high-standard, pre-configured, modular, and functional spaces, capable of accommodating large machinery and live demonstrations. Simultaneously, the conference program will be organized into major thematic areas, catering to the entire spectrum of the sector—from large industries to SMEs—and will provide a strategic vision for the future of visual communication through presentations by experts, companies, and international speakers.

Completing the experience, there will also be an Arena dedicated to exhibiting companies, where they can practically and directly showcase innovative products, solutions, and projects.

“The change we are introducing does not represent a mere logistical or organizational transformation, but rather a shift in vision and approach to how we conceive and experience a trade fair. We want to create an event that is even more engaging and immersive, truly reflecting the needs of its participants. Our goal is to create a space where exhibition and content come together harmoniously, thanks also to the presence of authoritative speakers and international contributions. The all-inclusive formula we propose will allow companies to focus on the quality of their offerings while freeing them from the organizational burdens. It is an ambitious and bold choice that aims to reinvent the fair experience, making it more dynamic, participatory, and forward-looking.”
– Cecilia Montalbetti, Exhibition Manager of Viscom Italia

Press Office
Theoria
Federica Zichittella - +39 320 7269367
viscom@theoria.it   

Viscom Italia is the only European trade show spanning the entire visual communication sector. The biggest yearly three-day Milan event is full of exhibits, talks, events, competitions and shows relevant for the entire visual community. Viscom Italia breathes creativity, innovation, business, sustainability but it is also the ideal place to premiere technologies and applications, launching future trends in graphics/advertising, design, architecture, interior decoration, fashion, packaging, brand industry and retail.

Viscom Italia is a trade show owned by RX, a global leader in events and trade shows, harnessing industry expertise, data and technologies to generate business for people, communities and organizations. Through its presence in 25 countries, RX annually organizes around 350 events across 41 industry sectors. RX is fully committed to creating an inclusive work environment for everyone. RX enables companies to thrive by leveraging data-driven information and digital solutions.

RX is part of RELX, a global provider of solutions, services and decision-making tools for professionals. www.rxglobal.com