The year 2024 marked a new chapter in the history of our community!
The results we achieved and the projects we launched have made this a fertile year, one where mature roots gave fresh momentum and courage to new visions.

Ten years ago, Matera was named European Capital of Culture 2019, a dream that transformed our territory and opened new paths. This year, with the designation as Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue 2026, that dream has been renewed, becoming a new starting point.
In 2024, we built a bridge between these two visions, striving to make culture a force capable of uniting communities, celebrating the past, and opening new horizons.
In this spirit, we presented Terre Immerse at the General Assembly of Cultural Diplomacy—a project that embodies our vision of the Mediterranean as a liquid continent, a crossroads of stories and possibilities.

With Airfare, Digitare Cultura, and the launch of the first Podcast Academy South Edition, we explored the intersection of digital innovation and memory, creating tools to reinvent our heritage and build new ways of accessing culture.
The European Neighbours’ Day, held in Matera and Potenza, turned streets into spaces for connection and participation.

From the installation Life(s) of Webs, arachnophobias, arachnophilias, and other stories by artist Tomás Saraceno, inaugurated in 2023 at the Carmine Church in Palazzo Lanfranchi, Matera, and made possible through collaboration with the National Museums of Matera, we developed the 2024 program Rizomatica: New Forms of Coexistence. This initiative transformed the Lucanian territory into an open-air laboratory, weaving together art, environment, and community participation.
This dialogue between art, nature, and community culminated in the publication of Saraceno’s artist book, Life(s) of Webs, arachnophobias, arachnophilias, and other stories. Presented at Palazzo Ducale in Genoa in collaboration with Palazzo Ducale Fondazione per la Cultura, Studio Tomás Saraceno, Pinksummer Contemporary Art, and Nero Edizioni, the book celebrates a decade of collaboration with the artist. It serves as a guide to understanding the Matera installation: a secular confessional that uses authentic spider webs created by various spider species to explore themes such as the interconnection between humanity and nature and the fragility of ecosystems. The volume collects interdisciplinary contributions and Saraceno’s reflections, standing as a manifesto for ecological justice and coexistence.

The volunteers of the Open Culture 2019 Association, an enduring legacy of Matera’s European Capital of Culture designation, have been the beating heart of many of these initiatives. This community continues to grow, demonstrating that culture is a collective endeavor driven by passion and sharing.

On the international stage, our network expanded through participation in The Culture Capitals and a Culture Goal, successful first-phase selection for four Interreg projects, and joining Culture Next, the European network of cities aspiring to be European Capitals of Culture. These achievements, particularly the first selection for four Interreg projects, highlight our commitment to promoting international cooperation and shared growth. Interreg programs encourage collaboration between regions and countries to address common challenges and foster sustainable, harmonious development. The selected projects, developed through mixed partnerships between Italy and Greece, are an important recognition of our work and affirm our role as advocates for international dialogue and progress.

Now is the time to relaunch our activities with renewed determination, knowing that the journey toward Matera Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue 2026 requires everyone’s commitment and collaboration.
Together, we can transform this energy into new opportunities for our region, consolidating the role of culture as a force capable of uniting, innovating, and inspiring the future.