category: cultural project
edition: 2010

“Le Città del Mediterraneo” [The Mediterranean Cities] was a project derived from the agreement between Regione Campania and Regione Sicilia. It was supported by the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and organized by Fondazione Campania dei Festival and Riso-Museum of Contemporary Art of Sicily. Città del Mediterraneo consisted of two programs that took place in Naples and Sicily in August and September 2011. In Naples, artists, groups, institutions, businesses, and experts from the participating cities directly managed and presented cultural, artistic, economic, and artisanal activities. In the various Sicilian sites, museums and biennials of contemporary art curated one exhibition per town. The project recognized the supranational identity of the cities and their pivotal role in re-igniting cultural, social, and economic exchanges in the Mediterranean.

The program began with the international conference “Le Città del Mediterraneo, Atto Primo: il Progetto,” [Mediterranean Cities, Act First: The Project] organized by Fondazione Campania dei Festival on 5th and 6t March, 2010 in Naples. The conference brought together, for the first time, the representatives of the participating cities to discuss culture, information, and the small and medium enterprises economy. The ensuing debate helped to improve awareness and knowledge about the cities and identify the guidelines of the 2011 event.