MAPPING THE CREATIVE AND CULTURAL SCENE IN BASILICATA

An organisation active in theatre production, training, and promotion, founded by director Leonardo Pietrafesa and actress Monica Palese. For many years, it has fostered generational renewal and supported young artists through initiatives like the Potenza Teatro Festival and Ecoscena.

It tackles social deprivation in collaboration with partners such as Fondazione con il Sud and Save the Children, and implements major Ministry of Culture-supported projects, including Pasolini in Basilicata and Visconti in Basilicata (2026). Additionally, the organisation connects the performing arts with historical sites—as seen in Potenza's Ophelia project—hosts artist residencies across Italy, and collaborates with renowned national and international institutions.

The Accademia Ducale Centro Studi Musicali – Fondazione di Partecipazione ETS is an innovative cultural centre dedicated to musical production, dissemination and research. Active in the fields of concert performance, education, advanced training, sacred music and research, it organises concert seasons recognised by the Ministry of Culture, artistic productions and concerts in Italy and abroad, promoting Europe’s musical heritage from the Baroque repertoire to the contemporary era. Through the Ensemble Accademia Ducale, it organises tours, interdisciplinary projects and collaborations with artists, organisations and national and international institutions. The Foundation also works in the field of social inclusion through the ‘Il Suono del Bene’ project, provides musical training for young people, and promotes and disseminates Italian and international musical heritage.

Allelammie is a cultural organisation that has been active since 1997 in promoting cinema, the visual arts and cultural education. Its mission is to foster community development through culture, audiovisual media, social innovation and intercultural dialogue, with a particular focus on young people, schools and the regions of Southern Italy.
Its main projects include the Lucania Film Festival, now in its 27th edition, the Matera Film School, national cinema and school programmes supported by MiC and MiM, international artist residencies, cultural inclusion initiatives, audiovisual literacy programmes and the promotion of tangible and intangible heritage. Allelammie has coordinated initiatives as part of Matera European Capital of Culture 2019 and has developed partnerships with national and international institutions, embassies, European networks and cultural organisations.

All the association’s activities are aimed at promoting reading and writing, which are seen as key drivers for reducing inequalities and fostering active participation and social cohesion.
The main projects are: “Amabili Confini” (a social regeneration project through writing), now in its 11th year, and “Scrittori allo specchio” (masterpieces of fiction recounted by their translators), now in its 6th year. The association has been active in the local area for 11 years and has a track record of numerous initiatives and collaborations with nationally renowned partners.

We work on projects relating to cultural heritage and the community.
We have developed an app (Giracancellara), produced a documentary (ricordidipietra.eu), and organised various excursions and cultural, educational and participatory events (Wikigite, etc.). We are currently working on translating the documentary into French and English and on re-releasing it, which will involve providing the interviewees with their full interviews, as part of the original project focusing on personal, collective and community memory.

1. to act as a venue for bringing together people with shared interests in music, culture and voluntary work, thereby fulfilling a social role in fostering personal and civic development.
2. to work towards the promotion and dissemination of musical activities by providing and organising the resources and facilities necessary for the delivery, management and implementation of music education and teaching courses;
3. to produce, stage and present concerts, performances and various artistic events;
4. to launch musical and cultural initiatives, including in collaboration with other organisations, associations and/or schools;
5. to promote and organise musical, cultural and recreational events, festivals, conferences, concerts, musicals and any other form of entertainment related to music

Launched in 2008, ArtePollino is a contemporary art project of international significance, promoted by the Basilicata Region – Regional Executive, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, in collaboration with the Venice Biennale. The project has involved internationally renowned artists such as Anish Kapoor, Carsten Höller and Giuseppe Penone, who were commissioned to create permanent site-specific works in the Pollino National Park. Regarded as one of the most significant Italian examples of the integration of contemporary art, landscape and regional development, ArtePollino has helped to enhance the environmental and cultural heritage of the Pollino through an innovative model of regeneration and promotion of the region.

Cultural outreach
Event organisation and performing arts
Training

ASD Oltredanza has been operating in Matera since 2015, promoting dance as a tool for education, social inclusion and cultural participation. The association’s mission is to nurture the talent of the younger generation and to foster well-being and intergenerational dialogue through accessible, high-quality artistic programmes.
Key projects include ongoing training, the production of contemporary dance performances, participatory workshops with local communities, and the activities of the Oltredanza Company, the city’s first youth dance company.
Since 2018, Oltredanza has been included in the Basilicata Region’s Performing Arts Plan; in 2021, the company received ministerial recognition for the production of performances at a national level. The association boasts extensive experience in delivering artistic and socio-cultural projects with a significant impact on the local area.

The Association aims to foster a critical awareness of the role of the olive tree in safeguarding biodiversity, the landscape and environmental sustainability, and to protect and promote the quality of extra virgin olive oil (EVO), particularly that produced from local olive varieties;
it organises events aimed specifically at training young people, with a view to building a pool of olive oil producers, oil tasters, olive grove agronomists, pruners and olive oil tourism experts;
it develops tourism activities of social and cultural interest within the field of olive oil tourism, and promotes social farming by integrating agricultural activities in olive groves with social, healthcare, therapeutic and educational services;
it manages abandoned olive groves as common goods, that is, through sharing, collective care and participatory management by the community, also with a view to implementing and experimenting with modern techniques for pruning and harvesting olives.

The Ado Atzeni Band Association has been keeping the tradition of the marching band alive in Pomarico for 40 years, a tradition that dates back to the 1800s and remains alive through its participation in civic and religious events in the local area and throughout southern Italy.

Main activity: Polyphonic Choral Music.
Organisation and management of cultural, artistic or recreational activities of social interest, including activities – such as publishing – aimed at promoting and disseminating culture and the practice of voluntary work, as well as activities of general interest as referred to in Article 5 of the CTS;
Organisation and management of tourist activities of social, cultural or religious interest;
To develop the study of choral music by encouraging musicological research, the dissemination of findings and the exchange of experiences;
To train and introduce its members and anyone wishing to participate to the art of choral singing, including through musical training courses;
To promote and organise wide-ranging artistic events such as:
Concerts, festivals, conferences, competitions, workshops, study holidays, training projects and seminars, including those at national and international level;
To promote polyphonic and folk musi

Founded in 2017 by director Nicola Ragone (winner of the 2015 Nastro d’Argento for his short film 'Sonderkommando', Fargo Produzioni is a cultural enterprise specialising in production, promotion and training for cinema, theatre and the visual arts. Cultural innovation, linguistic experimentation, a focus on new forms of expression and the exploration of little-known territories form the editorial vision of this organisation.
In addition to promoting film culture, Fargo Produzioni provides consultancy services for cultural, urban and social regeneration projects, developing strategies to enhance the landscape, culture and tourism of depopulating areas.

Fargo operates across key cultural sectors: Cinema, Promotion and Festivals (Storie Parallele Festival, Trame Future), Theatre (I Love The Bronx, Adamus), Artist Residencies and Cultural Education in schools and at academies.

Since 2005, our association has been dedicated to promoting the art of magic, turning sleight of hand into a means of communication. We mainly organise magic shows for families in the region, with projects in schools and local councils across Basilicata.
We have also staged a number of street magic performances in Matera. To view some demonstrations, visit our YouTube channel: Ludimagic

As well as promoting the work of the Basilicata-based band Krikka Reggae, which has been on the Italian music scene for 25 years, the Krikka Association organises major events and workshops, runs a music school, and manages a 320-square-metre venue in Bernalda featuring a recording studio, rehearsal rooms and teaching spaces. For the past 21 years, it has also organised the Metaponto Beach Festival, the flagship event of the Ionian summer in Basilicata.

Plongée is a cultural association specialising in the planning and production of cultural and film events. It is active in cultural production, regional promotion and the development of relationships between institutions, universities, cultural enterprises and audiovisual professionals.
Among its main projects are the Matera Film Festivalwww.materafilmfestival.itn international festival dedicated to cinema, TV series, animation, comics and new media; EDISU Cultura in partnership with Rai Radio 2, a programme promoted by the Piedmont Regional Agency for the Right to University Education; the Fall School of the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples; Cinemusic, a festival dedicated to the relationship between cinema and music; and educational activities aimed at schools and students.
It collaborates with the Lucana Film Commission, ARPA Basilicata and EDISU Piedmont, and has developed partnerships with Mondo TV Group, the Festival International du Cinéma Méditerranéen de Tétouan and the Balkan

Education in the Neighbourhood – Year 6 activities; The School Library Open to the Neighbourhood; Italian Language Classes for Migrant Women; The Primary School’s Outdoor Classroom in the Neighbourhood

Il Vagabondo is a cultural association that has been active since 2000 in promoting responsible and sustainable tourism in Southern Italy. Its mission is to enhance local areas and communities through research, cultural planning, creative storytelling, training and innovation in tourism. Over the course of 25 years, it has developed projects in tourism planning, the promotion of responsible tourism, regional marketing, immersive urban games, participatory trails, cultural events and activities aimed at young people, schools, public bodies and tour operators. Key projects include BuonTurismo, the Heritage Games, the N*Stories Festival, L’Arte del Narrare Territori and numerous regional promotion initiatives. The association operates in Matera, Altamura and various municipalities in Puglia and Basilicata. It is part of the AITR network – the Italian Foundation for Responsible Tourism.

The Manthano APS Cultural Association combines traditional and digital culture to promote social inclusion and support young people and vulnerable individuals. It promotes innovative educational initiatives by combining the humanities with new technologies (AI, augmented reality, coding).
With over 20 years of experience working with educational institutions, public bodies and third sector organisations, its key projects include:
•Digital culture and AR: Interactive tourist trails and image-based learning using augmented reality (the ‘Robert Vignola’ and ‘Meet and Code’ projects).
• Inclusion and Accessibility: Workshops for early childhood and parenting (SE.G.NI project), 3D printing/Braille for the visually impaired (“Officina del Pensiero”) and IT initiatives for people with disabilities (“T.I. Abilito”).
•Gamification: School courses focused on the development of educational video games (e.g. on Roblox)

The MATERA IN MUSICA Association carries out social benefit activities for its members and the wider public through culture and the arts. Its goal is to promote musical heritage by establishing an orchestra, a choir, and other concert ensembles. Furthermore, the Association dedicatedly enhances and disseminates both national and international cultural and artistic heritage, while supporting vulnerable groups in society, in full recognition of the right to culture.

The association delivers social benefits to its members and the wider public by promoting culture and the arts. We advance musical culture through the creation of an orchestra, a choir, and various concert ensembles, while actively preserving national and international heritage. Furthermore, we support vulnerable groups to foster social integration, championing everyone's fundamental right to culture.

The Antonio Vivaldi Music and Culture Association, based in Pomarico, has been a cultural hub in the local area for twenty years. It focuses primarily on providing musical training for young people and organising cultural events such as the Pomarico Vivaldi Festival.

The Osmosis ETS Association is a non-profit organisation dedicated to civic, solidarity-based and socially beneficial causes. In particular, it aims to strengthen the link between the artistic and cultural sphere and the various aspects of community life, so that the exercise of imagination and critical thinking may reinforce citizens’ sense of belonging, particularly among the younger generations. The intention is to act as a vehicle for direct participation in the regeneration of the local area, creating connections with places otherwise destined for neglect.
The flagship project is the Scuola dei Sassi, a free, intercultural and transpedagogical programme conceived by Valerio Rocco Orlando as a permanent artistic intervention in the city of Matera.
Thanks to a solid network of partnerships with academies, schools and universities, we promote open-access training for teenagers and young adults, including study rooms, a library, urban explorations, workshops and meetings with artist

Promoting the Montescaglioso Carnival and the art of papier-mâché.

The Società dei Concerti della Basilicata - ODV is a musical association founded with the aim of promoting and disseminating musical and artistic culture locally, nationally and internationally through the organisation of concerts, festivals, series of events, competitions, training courses, conferences – and other initiatives designed to achieve these objectives. The enhancement and promotion of the local area and young talent are the focal points of the association , through music, it is committed to creating opportunities for people to meet and exchange ideas, offering chances for cultural and personal enrichment.

Projects focusing on intangible cultural heritage in Potenza, Sasso di Castalda and Venosa
Including 39 concert seasons, 18 editions of the Mahler Academy, founded in collaboration with Maestro Claudio Abbado, plus, the ‘Suoni di Pietra’ project – Matera 2019 European Capital of Culture

Atomico Progetti is primarily dedicated to promoting art, culture and activism, with the aim of forging new local networks within Basilicata, as well as between Basilicata and other regions. We are guided by the values of equality, transfeminism, sharing, conviviality, intergenerational solidarity and respect for the environment.

The BASILICATA CIRCUITO MUSICATE Association, recognised as being of national importance by MIC-FUS (Ministerial Decree of 1 July
2014) and the Basilicata Region (Regional Law No. 37 of 12 December 2014), promotes and implements musical projects aimed at promoting and disseminating
national and international cultural and artistic heritage, with particular reference to the organisation of events of high artistic quality in Basilicata, the promotion of regional musical culture, as well as regional traditions and talents.

Originally conceived as a co-living and co-working project, Casa Netural has, over the years, developed numerous initiatives dedicated to social innovation, including the Professional Dreams Incubator, the Netural Walks, the Matera Design Weekend, the Sharing School, the Basilicata Border Games, Bibliomater, the School of Community Knowledge, and various civic and community engagement programmes. It was also Project Leader of Mammamiaaa, an official project of the cultural programme for Matera 2019 – European Capital of Culture, dedicated to collecting and sharing stories, traditions and relationships through food and conviviality, involving thousands of people in Italy and across Europe. Casa Netural operates by placing people, relationships and the capacity of communities to generate lasting social and cultural change at the centre of its work.

Celebrating and strengthening the global Basilicata diaspora by fostering worldwide awareness and meaningful connections among the Lucanian community

Enhancement of the cultural spaces in Via Casalnuovo, Matera

A mixed-voice polyphonic choir that has been active for over 30 years, conducted by Maestro Carmine Antonio Catenazzo. The choir has performed in numerous concerts in Italy and abroad and has organised local events such as the Antonio Guanti Choral Competition and the Petra Matrix Polyphonic Festival. It collaborates with various cultural organisations in the local area

The Ensemble has been active in the region since 2010, bringing villages, historical and architectural monuments, and archaeological parks to life.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream in… Quel Paese (Colobraro)
Megale Hellas – The Dream of the Gods (Policoro-Metaponto)
The Barons’ Conspiracy – The Web of Power (Miglionico)
NOJA XV – The Dream of a State on the Slopes of Pollino (Noepoli)
KYRZOSIM – The Dream of the Sacred (Cersosimo)
Passio Christi (Craco Architectural and Scenic Park)
Mouseion (Siritide Museum in Policoro)
Montalbano Festival

The Le Monacelle Foundation preserves and promotes the historical, artistic and human heritage of Matera, transforming a place symbolic of collective memory into a space open to culture, creativity and inclusion.
Through artistic projects, educational activities, creative residencies and interdisciplinary events, it fosters dialogue between tradition and innovation, supporting the cultural development of the local area and encouraging interaction between communities, artists, young people and visitors.
The Foundation makes the tangible and intangible heritage of the Sassi di Matera accessible, promoting local identities, contemporary research and cultural practices capable of generating participation, awareness and sustainable development.

This Foundation was established to preserve an ancient heritage. Matera, Magna Graecia, and the Mediterranean — with all they once represented and all that still lives on in them today — embody that very legacy.

Sassi di Matera’s Mad Art Gallery is an independent space dedicated to the promotion of contemporary art, creative experimentation, and the enhancement of the Lucanian territory. Located within a historic hypogeum in the Sassi of Matera, the gallery was conceived as a meeting place for visual arts, contemporary craftsmanship, performances, workshops, and participatory practices. Founded by artist and set designer Daniela Madeddu, the gallery develops projects that combine tradition and contemporary research through collective and solo exhibitions, artist residencies, and workshops in linocut printing, printmaking, ceramics, weaving, and applied arts. Among its main projects is “Gener@AZIONI Lucane”, a multidisciplinary collective created to promote local artists, alongside numerous initiatives dedicated to the intersection of art, community, and cultural regeneration. The gallery collaborates with Italian and international artists, cultural institutions, and local organizations.

Gommalacca Teatro is a theatre production company specialising in theatre for children and young people, founded in Potenza in 2008 by Mimmo Conte and Carlotta Vitale. It is funded by the Ministry of Culture and is registered on the Basilicata Region’s Register of Performing Arts Operators.
The headquarters is located at CESAM – the Experimental Centre for Mediterranean Arts in Potenza, a space shared with creative organisations working in music, dance, comics and video games. This is also the home of La Klass, their theatre school, an educational and artistic environment dedicated to the younger generation.
They organise cultural programmes for families, young people and schools through the Costellazioni project and the Snip Snap Snout festival, which combines theatre, workshops and community building through theatre for the younger generation.

For fifty years in Matera, the ‘Grafica di via Sette dolori’ engravers’ association has been a hub for artists and engraving enthusiasts. Established by members of the ‘La Scaletta’ club, it was founded in 1976 as the ‘Scuola Libera di Grafica’. In 1988, two members, Vittorio Manno and Angelo Rizzelli, founded the association, basing the workshop’s activities on the “school-workshop” model and inviting master engravers to run courses teaching various techniques. Over the years, it has hosted internationally renowned masters such as Guido Strazza, Giulia Napoleone, Peter Willburger, Assadour and many others. The school offers educational activities, organises intensive courses and exhibitions of graphic art. Furthermore, its library contains over a thousand books and houses a collection of artists’ books and over a thousand art prints. Today, the association continues to grow, guided by the passion of the masters and driven by the enthusiasm of its young members.

GUTTA S.R.L.S. operates in the events and entertainment sector with the aim of providing professional technical services and reliable organisational solutions for public, private and corporate events. The company’s mission is to ensure technical quality, operational safety and the efficient coordination of every project, transforming clients’ needs into engaging and successful experiences.
The company handles the planning, management and technical support for a wide range of events, offering services such as:
rental of professional technical equipment for concerts, shows, conferences and corporate events; stage management and operational coordination services for live productions, festivals and cultural events; organisation and management of public and private events; technical support for set-up, logistics and stage management. Active since 2019, it collaborates with organisations such as Cardellino, Enfi Teatro, Teatro Parioli, Friends&Partners and Live Nation.

inMateria APS is a social promotion association based in Maratea that works to promote local development, participation and cultural innovation. Its mission is to engage local communities through collaborative practices, making the most of the area’s resources, knowledge and identity.
The association carries out cultural, educational and social projects, including artist residencies, community workshops, experiential tourism initiatives and training courses on leadership, social innovation and local development. Key initiatives include the ‘Intrecci di Comunità’ project, the ‘Europe Challenge’ programme on libraries funded by the European Cultural Foundation, and participation in the Lagonegrese Local Reading Pact. It also organised the tenth edition of the Netural Walk, an initiative organised by Casa Netural. inMateria collaborates with public and private bodies, contributing to processes of inclusion, creativity and local regeneration.

The association Le Ali Di Frida carries out its main activities in the socio-cultural sector across the region, with the aim of promoting, supporting and enhancing – with particular attention to the most vulnerable groups (women, young people, the elderly, etc.) – the wealth of artistic, environmental and cultural human resources, and in particular those that have little visibility, few opportunities to express themselves or little chance of being appreciated. It organises and manages cultural, artistic and recreational activities of social interest, including publishing initiatives and poetry competitions, as well as activities aimed at promoting and disseminating culture and the practice of volunteering.

The LNI, as the leading public body in the national maritime sector, organises its activities around four ‘key areas’:
1) The development of maritime culture amongst the general public, regardless of age or social class, through the promotion of local and national events and initiatives. 2) The promotion of ‘water-based’ sporting activities for all ages, with a particular focus on less privileged social groups and people with disabilities; 3) Support for boating through the development of vocational training courses, in collaboration with public authorities and CONI sports federations, always in the spirit of maximum social inclusion; 4) 4) The protection of the marine environment and inland waters, through the promotion of a culture of the utmost respect for the environment, particularly amongst young people.
It is precisely within this context and framework that our project proposals are taking shape.

For 15 years, the Matera Letteratura association has organised the Women's Fiction Festival, an international event dedicated to women's literature, featuring book launches, educational seminars on various publishing topics, and bringing authors together with representatives from leading national and international publishing houses. Since February 2021, it has also been the publisher of the news outlet EcocNews, through which it reports in English to European citizens on the world of European Capitals of Culture. Since 2025, EcocNews has been a media partner and the official voice of Culture Next, a network of 50 European cities.

Materacqua promotes projects that focus on the value of water as a common good and as an educational, cultural and inclusive resource. The initiatives developed aim to strengthen the bond between communities, the local area and the environment, fostering a new awareness of the importance of protecting water resources and encouraging active citizen participation.

Through educational programmes, workshops, public events and partnerships with schools, institutions and associations, Materacqua seeks to create opportunities for learning and shared responsibility. Particular attention is paid to social inclusion, so that the experience of water, the sea and the environment can also be made accessible to people with vulnerabilities or disabilities.

Materacqua’s projects combine culture, sustainability, environmental education and active citizenship, contributing to the promotion of Basilicata and the building of more aware, open and supportive communities.

Mifajazz is a musical association dedicated to jazz, promoting the genre through workshops and big bands, and organising big band-related events. It has been active in Matera since 2009.
Among its main projects is the LJP BIG BAND, an 18-piece orchestra with five albums to its name and numerous collaborations with international musicians such as Bobby Watson, Randy Brecker, Steve Grossman, Jack Walrath, Flavio Boltro, Karima, Ron Isaac Hubbard and many others...
In addition, there is the Jazz Playground, a project that introduces children to jazz through the reading of great jazz stories for children accompanied by live musicians; and the festivals: ‘Le Voci del Jazz’, ‘Mifajazz Christmas Festival’, ‘I Workshop di Mifajazz’ and more.

Courses and workshops in ceramics, quilling, papier-mâché, wire art, natural dyes and illustration.
Exhibition space

MIP Matera International Photography APS, established in 2017, is a centre for cultural production and promotion active in the field of photography and the visual arts. It comprises a multidisciplinary team of high-profile professionals from Italy and abroad, including photographers, curators, university lecturers, journalists, artists and filmmakers, promoting a dynamic and contemporary approach to culture.
It has organised over 95 exhibitions, involving more than 750 artists and 300 photographers, with 23 installations, 12 site-specific projects, 70 events, 32 conferences, 18 publications and 50 cultural projects. It has established a solid network of transnational partnerships with cultural institutions, universities, galleries, and public and private centres.
MIP promotes transdisciplinary culture as a tool for inclusion and research, through exhibition projects, artist residencies and initiatives to enhance tangible and intangible heritage and intercultural dialogue.

Momart Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in the heart of the Sassi of Matera, situated in a cave-like space where the limestone rock contrasts in colour with a more contemporary ‘white cube’ exhibition space. This aesthetic dichotomy between the spaces is reflected in the gallery’s objectives: to build a bridge between the memory of the past and life in the present, embracing what today represents a hallmark of the contemporary.

Momart Gallery is a creative space dedicated to exchange, experimentation and the promotion of contemporary visual arts. Today, it serves as a platform for cutting-edge exhibitions by Italian and international artists, both emerging and established.

Promoting historical heritage and preserving collective memory. Photographic exhibitions, games for all ages that evoke local traditions, conferences, and publications.
The association has produced revamped versions of traditional games set in the historic cityscape, including Matera playing cards, Matera bingo and the Matera ‘papera’, which have been provided free of charge to schools that have requested them. Numerous themed photographic exhibitions, conferences and publications on the subject.

Netural Coop is a social enterprise that has been active since 2018 and specialises in regional development, social innovation and the regeneration of communities and inland areas. Key projects include Casa Netural Gorizia, a co-working, co-living and community engagement initiative developed as part of GO!2025; programmes dedicated to digital nomadism, residencies and work retreats as tools for local economic development; territorial mapping, strategic planning and the building of collaborative networks for public bodies and communities; and initiatives for territorial development and the cultural enhancement of villages. Key projects include: the CIRCE Project, Arvier Innovation, Innesti di Comunità, SARACENIX and the CEAS Community Laboratory. Through these initiatives, Netural Coop promotes innovative models of sustainable development, civic participation and the mobilisation of local resources to reshape the future of local areas in collaboration with public authorities and citize

NOELTAN ARTS is a cultural and creative enterprise registered in the relevant special section of the Companies Register, which has been operating for around 30 years throughout the region, as well as nationally and internationally. It is a centre for film and new media production, training, promotion and distribution, producing, promoting and distributing films in an artisanal manner. It supports and nurtures young, independent and innovative perspectives that explore landscape, ecology, poetry and the 2030 Agenda. It produces, co-produces and distributes feature films, short films and documentaries for cinemas, TV, VOD and VR platforms, and international museums and art galleries. It organises film events and training courses, including advanced film training programmes.

Noi Ortadini is a social promotion association working to regenerate a green space in the Serra Venerdì district, specifically in Vico Gioberti, Matera, through urban gardening practices.
Natural farming: we experiment with farming methods that respect biodiversity and the ecosystems we work with.
Urban regeneration: we regenerate abandoned land with the aim of transforming spaces into places for social gathering and inclusion.
Youth participation: we encourage youth activism, creating opportunities to experiment, network, exchange knowledge and stay involved.
In 2023, we won the New European Bauhaus “Rising Stars – Reconnecting with Nature” award.
We are currently active mainly through outdoor education:
- in schools;
- at the Vico Gioberti allotment, with our regular “Arts of Attention” sessions.

OAT Officina Accademia Teatro was one of the first five young theatre companies specialising in theatrical innovation to be identified in Italy by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities (1997–1999). Aesthetics and dramaturgy: Officina Accademia Teatro pursues a different kind of theatre – one that is conscious of seeking new means of expression with a distinct sociological and psychological function, moving beyond the mere depiction of moods and characters to engage the audience through the theatrical performance and beyond.

Occhi sul Mondo is a cultural association founded in 2026 with the aim of promoting the folk traditions, collective memory and intangible cultural heritage of Basilicata, whilst encouraging active community participation, intergenerational dialogue, social inclusion and the promotion of the values of solidarity, respect and community spirit. Particular attention is paid to ‘morra’, understood not only as a traditional game but as an expression of oral culture, social interaction and the identity of local communities. The association builds on and develops the experience gained through the ‘Fermo Vito Donato’ Memorial, which reached its third edition in 2026, integrating tradition, memory, activities for children and families, accessibility and local participation. Its objectives include the implementation of new cultural and educational projects and the establishment of networks with organisations, associations and communities in Basilicata.

Specialised in the performing arts. Officine Eutopia organises artistic events and run programmes designed to showcase the talents of participants and promote the local area.

Ombre Meridiane Società Cooperativa Sociale specialises in innovative teaching methods, training and advanced specialisation in media and film education, whilst also promoting film education for and within schools of all levels. Committed to tackling early school leaving and educational deprivation, it runs a school of cinema, audiovisual studies and visual culture in Matera and is involved in film, audiovisual and photographic production. Key previous experience includes: activities within educational, artistic and film production projects (National Plan for Cinema and Visual Media in Schools promoted by the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Education; PNRR Mission 4; workshops with inmates at the Juvenile Detention Centre in Potenza; local training and audiovisual production programmes funded by the Province and Municipality of Matera, artist residencies).
The Cooperative is involved in European project development (Erasmus+ programme).

The main aim of the Pro Loco is to promote and showcase the local area. It works to protect the region’s historical, cultural, environmental and culinary heritage.
It relies on the efforts of volunteers and is a non-profit organisation.

Among its many activities are:
The Pettola Festival
The Night of the Cucibocca
The Carnevalone
The Quaremme Exhibition
And many other events.

The Pro Loco is actively involved in promoting the social and tourism development of the municipality of Irsina, and carries out its activities with the aim of promoting tourism and showcasing the area’s natural, cultural, historical and social heritage and potential.
The organisation and management of tourist activities of social, cultural or religious interest. Regarding the promotion of history and/or historical figures, they are currently working on a jester at the court of the Tsarina of Russia in the 18th century.

The Pro Loco Cultural Association “Il Portale” of Pignola is an organisation founded in 1981 with the aim of promoting and developing Pignola; it is active in the fields of tourism, social welfare and culture. It is also dedicated to safeguarding the town’s cultural, environmental and historical heritage, promoting awareness of it both within and beyond the borders of the Basilicata region. It is registered in the regional register of associations and with the National Union of Pro Loco Associations of Basilicata, as well as with the RUNTS.
Key Initiatives:
- L'altra faccia di Penelope: Focuses on women’s craftsmanship.
- National Poetry Prize “Giulio Stolfi” & Medicine Prize “Potito Petrone”.
- International Festival of Culture and Folk Traditions: Part of Basilicata’s Intangible Heritage.
- Historical Re-enactment “Vignola Terra Regale”.

YEAR 2025 20 Feb: application to the Murgia Materana Park Authority and Rock Churches
26 Feb: accredited participation at the Mediterranean Tourism Fair in Bari (Puglia)
28 Feb: participation in the Municipality of Matera’s events call for proposals: ‘Matera Sottosopra – The Memory of Water’ project
15–16 March: accredited participation at the national ‘Cultural Food’ event.
1–30 April: 12 sessions: Bramante Comprehensive School – workshops with pupils: traditional children’s games from the ancient Sassi districts. Erasmus twinning with French pupils
2 April: invitation, participation and presentation at the Unibas-Diuss ‘Meet the Territory’ conference: ‘Take for You’ (National)
4 April: Educational and cultural walk for pupils and teachers from the Sacco Institute, City of Salerno (Campania)
10 April: Educational and cultural walk for pupils and teachers from the Bovio Foggia High School (Apulia)
10 April: Special opening of the Malvini Malvezzi Historic Residence for students

The Pro Loco of Maratea La Perla shares all the aims and objectives of a Pro Loco organisation registered with the Regional Register of Pro Loco Associations and the National Union of Italian Pro Loco Associations (UNPLI): social, tourism and cultural promotion through events and initiatives at local, regional, national and international levels.

- The 2026 Summer Theatre Festival and ‘Books by the Sea’: these events have been held for 24 years at the Greek Theatre and in the courtyard of Torremare Castle in Metaponto. On the beach. Activities created to highlight the historical heritage and promote the local area, today they are a defining event for the Metaponto community and a key attraction for cultural tourism along the Ionian coast of Basilicata and Taranto. The programme features classical and modern comedies
- at the Greek Theatre of Metaponto, 4th century BC: one of the most important theatrical complexes of Magna Graecia, situated within the Metaponto Archaeological Park. The original auditorium and acoustics recreate the experience of Greco-Roman theatre.
- at the Courtyard of Torremare Castle, 11th century: a Norman fortification, an intimate and evocative setting, hosting more intimate events and serving as a natural backdrop for music and drama.
Info points: Temple of Hera, Archaeological Park, Bernalda Castle

Mission
R-EIDOS APS ETS promotes educational pathways based on resilience, transforming situations of vulnerability into opportunities for personal and social growth through environmental education, experiential learning, and inclusion.

Main Projects
Since 2019 R-EIDOS has organized summer camps, outdoor activities, and educational workshops in the parks of Basilicata as part of the projects “Classi Fuori Classe” and “Costellazioni Inclusive”, funded by Con i Bambini and Fondazione CON IL SUD. The activities involve children, schools and local communities through environmental education programs, social inclusion initiatives, outdoor reading activities, makerspaces, and educational excursions.

Experience
R-EIDOS collaborates with schools, public institutions, cooperatives, and local associations, organizing inclusive educational programs for children and adolescents, with a particular focus on combating educational poverty and preventing school dropout.

The “Rataplan” Cultural Association operates in the fields of live performance and artistic training, with the aim of promoting culture as a means of individual and collective growth, inclusion and local development. Through its theatre school, workshops, events, performances and cultural initiatives, Rataplan aims to foster creativity, encourage active participation and promote the performing and visual arts as a shared heritage and as tools for growth, dialogue and social cohesion. A hallmark of Rataplan is its multidisciplinary approach, which integrates theatre, music, literature and contemporary performance research, combining artistic production with intensive training activities. Since October 2025, Rataplan has been running theatre courses in Matera led by the actor Vincenzo Paolicelli, attracting strong participation and a high level of engagement from people of all ages.

The Renanera art project has been running since 2012. They have collaborated with, amongst others, Pino Aprile, Vittorio De Scalzi (New Trolls), Lino Vairetti (Osanna), Eugenio Bennato, Pietra Montecorvino, Michele Placido, Antonio Maggio, Marcello Coleman, Ciccio Merolla, Alessandro D’Alessandro, Andrea Satta (Tete de Bois), Francesco Boccia, Savino Zaba and Canio Loguercio. They were part of the line-up at WOMAD Rome. They have appeared on various TV programmes, including “Musica mia” (Raiuno), “Bella ma’ “ (Raidue), “Il Provinciale” (Raitre), “La dedica” (Raitre), “L’anno che verrà” by M. Pagnussat, hosted by Amadeus for the Potenza and Matera editions, and Federico Cataldi’s docu-fiction “Voci di una terra – Basilicata” (Rai Storia), Gino Aveta’s “Senza orario, senza bandiera”, presented by Fabrizio Frizzi and Dario Salvatori (Rai Premium), and a live event at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples organised to celebrate De Scalzi’s 50-year career.

RETE CINEMA SOCIALE is a third-sector organisation. Founded as a grassroots initiative in 2012, the association now brings together professionals from the film and audiovisual sectors, promoting a social and transformative approach through active citizenship initiatives inspired by the values of the UN 2030 Agenda. Rete Cinema Sociale was the first association to represent and protect cinema and audiovisual workers in Basilicata, becoming a best practice for Southern Italy and inspiring similar organisations, such as Rete Cinema Sardegna, Rete Cinema Puglia and Rete Cinema Calabria, helping to form a national network for the promotion, training and protection of the sector.
It has memoranda of understanding with the Lucana Film Commission and the Potenza Library Centre, as well as partnerships with local, national and international organisations. Its main activities include ‘MaTerre VR Experience’, ‘Cinema in the Library’ and ‘A Corto di Costituzione’. It is an ARCI UCCA club.

Founded in early 2003, the association focuses its work on reviving the traditions of the Lucania region, historical research, the preservation of the cultural, artistic, historical and literary heritage of the area, and the development of sustainable tourism within the Gallipoli Cognato Regional Park.
It has developed an annual calendar of monthly excursions (held on the last Sunday of the month), has made the thousand-year-old hermitage of San Guglielmo da Vercelli and San Giovanni da Matera accessible to the public and secured its management, and is campaigning for the creation of a pilgrimage route dedicated to the two saints.
It has established a network for women’s empowerment and an equal opportunities helpdesk.
It is launching the GenerAzioni Festival: Awareness, Empowerment, Equal Opportunities, a format aimed at creating an event to be included in the intangible cultural heritage.

Responsible for managing the L. Ostuni Municipal Library in Tito and the newly established BibLOScalo Library in Tito Scalo.
They run projects focused on education and the promotion of reading, with a particular emphasis on accessibility

Stones & Rock APS was born out of a simple, unshakeable conviction: that rock is not just music, but a way of life. It’s the roar of an engine on an open road at dawn. It’s the sweat and electricity of a live stage. It’s the camaraderie of strangers who become family over a shared riff. Here, southern rock isn’t just a genre: it’s a philosophy. We believe in the raw, unfiltered energy of live performance. We believe in creating a space where underground artists can connect, turn up the volume and let themselves go. We believe in the community that forms when the amps are hot and the beer is cold.

Synchronos enhances, promotes and manages cultural sites within the Matera area; it plans and carries out activities aimed at creating a centre of excellence in southern Italy for the enjoyment of cultural and environmental heritage; It is responsible for the design, staging and realisation of exhibitions and museum projects on artistic, historical, cultural and environmental themes, whilst also addressing related technical, scientific, technological and production issues; it organises and runs conferences, lectures and study initiatives across all fields relevant to the company’s activities; it provides consultancy, planning and organisation services for cultural events and activities run by public and private bodies; It proposes, manages and runs activities and workshops aimed at young people, adults and schools of various types and levels.

Over time, the artistic vision of Teatro Quartana has increasingly taken shape as an exploration of the very meaning of theatre: it asks whether it still makes sense to practise theatre today, whether it should still fulfil a ritual function that leaves a lasting mark on human consciousness, and whether it should create parallel worlds distinct from the real ones, or whether it should in some way reflect or represent them through the sublimation of art.
From the different ways of approaching these cosmic questions and from the provisional, fleeting and unstable answers provided, the various productions hosted by the Teatro Quartana have taken shape, driven by the increasingly radical conviction that any investigation or exploration on the theatrical stage must engage with the ‘spoken’ word – the word that takes on a life of its own when brought to life on stage, which seeks to probe the possibilities and limits of humanity, standing in opposition to the nihilism of so much contemporar

Our APS was founded with the aim of creating opportunities for people to come together and share experiences through music, culture and art. We organise concerts, festivals, programmes, events, workshops and initiatives, with the aim of making culture accessible and inclusive. We believe that events offer an opportunity to help the local area thrive, to celebrate its people, traditions and places, and to create new opportunities for socialising and collaboration. We also promote and report on cultural activities through publishing and communication channels, including community radio, and we develop initiatives of tourist and cultural interest to raise awareness of and enable people to experience the local heritage in an authentic and engaging way.

Wonder Grottole was established to revitalise the village of Grottole (MT) by restoring abandoned buildings and integrating new initiatives with the local community. It promotes housing, agriculture, business and tourism, championing a model of active and sustainable tourism. Wonder Grottole is a cultural village-laboratory, where it is possible to experiment with pilot projects for the regeneration of tangible and intangible heritage, based on the connection between the local community and external energies, through various initiatives (residencies, co-design, calls for proposals, etc.) and utilising different elements on a case-by-case basis (disused buildings, historic monuments, local memory, etc.).

The Xilema Musica association promotes independent music culture and world music, forging a lasting link between Taranto and Matera. At the heart of the project lies the unique experience of the Hauskonzerte in Taranto and Matera: truly intimate concerts held in private homes and flats, where any barrier between international artists and the audience is broken down, giving way to a deep human connection. This approach is perfectly reflected in Migrasom (Encounters for a musical, visual and gender-based anthropology), a travelling cultural initiative that uses music as a universal language and a concrete tool for inclusion. Through academic talks, university workshops and live performances by international musicians (from South America to Africa), Migrasom weaves together stories of migration, collective memory and sound research across the Ionian-Lucanian region. The association thus transforms living rooms and urban spaces into welcoming stages, offering a safe and intercultural liste

Zer0971 is a social promotion association that has been operating at regional level since February 2006.
The association pursues social, civic and cultural objectives and aims to promote the cultural development of citizens and to contribute to the restoration and enhancement of the cultural, artistic and historical heritage within its local area.
Notable initiatives include the film festival “AltroCinemaPossibile – The cinema of human rights”, now in its 19th edition, and its associated sections “OasiCinema – the cinema of ecology” and “AltroCinemaPossibile Kids”.
Another initiative that brings prestige to the association’s activities is the production and publication of the “Lucanian regional playing cards” (Dal Negro editions) and the accompanying book “Carte Lucane, scopri la Basilicata giocando” by Noemi Montagnoli, published by Zer0971.

Zio Ludovico ETS pursues civic, solidarity-based and socially beneficial aims by promoting play as a means of fostering social cohesion, inclusion and combating educational poverty. It believes that play is not merely incidental entertainment, but a language capable of building relationships, developing independence and educating those facing challenges, whilst also transforming hardship into an opportunity for growth. It operates through non-formal education, peer education and gamification, using the LUMACA play centre and the LuCamper and LuCargò mobile units to reach families, schools and isolated communities. The LU.MA.CA. project, co-funded by the Department for Family Policies, and the C.A.L.A.M.I.T.A. research project conducted with the University of Padua have scientifically validated its impact. It brings play even to places where it seems impossible: a funfair without electricity!