Matera 2019 European Capital of Culture: a shared process of participation

The citizens of Matera and Basilicata wanted the City and the Region to apply for the title of European Capital of Culture because they wish to open up to Europe, to share experiences with other cultural inhabitants and together envision a better future for local communities. Matera’s candidacy is a concrete example of resilience escaping from an economic, cultural, social crisis. Matera recovered from a state of poverty due to the Sassi conditions of degrade after the II World War and transformed it in a strength.
‘What can we do for this city, and to develop this territory?’ It was July 2008, when a group of citizens decided: ‘And if Matera became the ECOC for 2019?’. Here it comes the idea of searching something that could mark the history of the city and be a concrete opportunity for economic growth and development. Two months later, a group of citizens called ‘Fools and Visionaries’ was born gathering this idea of transforming Matera into a challenge. On January 2009, the Association Matera 2019 is formed with a manifesto and a program. This bottom up process gathered consent and involved the community: the Municipality, the University, the two Provinces, the Chambers of Commerce, but above all common citizens who began to glimpse a possibility of economic and cultural growth. On 17/10/2014, Matera is designated ECOC.What the jury valued most was the ‘strong intention of participation and co-design’ of the proposal. It was the candidacy of an entire community/region.