Becky Riches
Becky Riches is half English and half Irish but has lived in Matera since 2007. She graduated with a law degree in the U.K. in 1997 which included one year studying at Modena University, through the E.U. Erasmus programme. This year in Italy changed the direction of her life as she fell in love with the Italian language and culture and, subsequently, decided to complete a Master in European Business with Italian.
After 8 years working and traveling in a multinational environment, based both in the UK and Milan, she moved to Matera with her (Lucanian) husband, driven by a (since proven) suspicion that the quality of life might be higher there. A life choice made possible by a professional transformation.
In the last ten years she has worked in the tourism sector, promoting Basilicata with incoming packages and through the development of a sustainable tourism project, Lucania Living, specialised in welcoming new non-Italian home owners, the restoration of ancient and abandoned rural villages, forging cultural bridges and harnessing the authenticity of Southern Italy to define a sustainable future. Currently, after joining the Matera 2019 Build Up process dedicated to Makers and Linkers, Becky is project coordinator for the Development and Relations team.
In 2016 she joined the cultural association ‘Matera Letteratura’ and helps organise the historical literary festival, 'Women's Fiction Festival', with public and school events and its international writers’ conference.
Becky is the proud mother of twin girls who are undeniably and very contentedly ‘materane’.
