FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES
National Network
Italy
Address
Via La Vista, 1Country
City
MateraProvince
MateraMobile Phone
+393332721062Telephone
+390835256384E-Mail (2)
segreteria@matera-basilicata2019.itWebsite
Click HereYear of Establishment
2014Contact Person1
Rita OrlandoJob Title 1
Responsible for Cultural planningContact Person 2
Claudia Di PernaJob Title 2
Executive AssistantOrganisation Type
Public/Private Non-Profit FoundationFields of Activity
Arts, Democracy and community development, Heritage, International/Cultural relationsGeneral Information
The Foundation promotes culture and creativity as tools for social cohesion, active citizenship, and dialogue between communities.
Originally established to implement the program of Matera European Capital of Culture 2019, the Foundation continues to operate today to strengthen the impact of culture as a common good — accessible, inclusive, and capable of generating meaningful relationships at local and international levels.
Mission and Objectives
In close collaboration with citizens, artists, local authorities, universities, and partners from across the Mediterranean and Europe, the Foundation
- fosters social inclusion through participatory artistic practices
- supports the development and dissemination of cultural projects in inner and remote areas
- reinforces the role of Matera and the Basilicata region as a Euro-Mediterranean platform for cultural innovation, intercultural encounter, and co-creation among diverse people, cultures, and generation
Main Projects / Activities
Fondazione Matera Basilicata 2019 has been active since 2014. It led the implementation of Matera’s European Capital of Culture 2019 program and continues to develop legacy projects, transforming that experience into a lasting platform for cultural innovation and territorial cooperation.
Today, the Foundation designs and implements national and international projects with a strong focus on inclusion, cultural citizenship, and Euro-Mediterranean dialogue.
In 2024, on behalf of the Municipality of Matera, it coordinated the city’s candidacy to become the Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue, a title that was awarded for 2026.
The new cultural programme, Terre Immerse, is rooted in participation, artistic co-creation, and network-building between local communities and cultural actors across Mediterranean countries. Its main goal is to reinforce Matera’s role as a meeting place between cultures and a symbolic territory of the inner Mediterranean.
How can you contribute to the Network in your country?
As Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue 2026 — together with the Moroccan city of Tetouan — the Foundation aims to strengthen intercultural dialogue through creativity, cooperation, and participation across the Euro-Mediterranean region.
From Matera, a Southern Italian city that served as European Capital of Culture in 2019, we seek to build bridges between the Mediterranean and continental Europe, connecting distant and often marginalised inland territories by highlighting their shared cultural values.
Unlike many former European Capitals of Culture, Matera has preserved the operational body that implemented its cultural programme, which today continues to design and deliver initiatives at both local and international levels. This ongoing institutional continuity represents a unique and living model of cultural participation and long-term impact.
Our contribution to the ALF Network includes the ambition to launch a Euro-Mediterranean network of cultural cities, promoting exchange through artistic residencies, international open calls, and co-creation programmes open to civil society and cultural and creative sector (CCS) professionals.
Through the Terre Immerse programme, Matera will offer a platform where democracy, diversity, and participation become lived cultural experiences — empowering communities and fostering long-lasting connections between institutions, artists, and citizens.
Why do you want to join the ALF Network?
We want to join the ALF Network because we deeply share its vision of a Mediterranean built on dialogue, mutual understanding, and the celebration of diversity.
Following the experience of Matera 2019 and looking ahead to Matera 2026, we wish to contribute to the Network by offering a territory that has made culture a tool for democracy, participation, and openness to others.
The cultural programme Terre Immerse explores the condition of remote and inland territories, and how this immersion — into the depth of land, history, and lived experience — has given rise to resilient cultures, deep-rooted relationships, and alternative visions.
From these "immersed lands" will emerge artistic projects and shared reflections on issues at the heart of the ALF Network: the impact of climate change on Mediterranean communities, migration as a cultural force, the inclusion of non-dominant identities and bodies, and the role of immersive technologies and artificial intelligence in shaping — or limiting — spaces of dialogue.
For us, joining the ALF Network means not only addressing these themes, but also opening ourselves to meaningful encounters, learning from other territories, and offering a fertile ground for long-term collaborations.