THE PROJECT

MUSAE is a multidisciplinary cultural project aimed at exploring and strengthening the relationship between music, opera, and contemporary artistic practices within a structured European and institutional framework.
The project fosters artistic innovation, advanced education and international cooperation, encouraging new forms of dialogue between cultural heritage, creative production and society.

Developed in alignment with European cultural strategies and the PNRR framework, MUSAE represents a concrete and sustainable model of cultural development, grounded in excellence, international openness and long-term impact.

Overview

MUSAE was conceived as a structured and long-term cultural initiative, aimed at strengthening the integration between artistic production, higher education in music and the performing arts (AFAM) and European cultural policies.

Rather than focusing on isolated events, the project adopts a systemic approach in which research, education, artistic creation and public engagement coexist within a coherent and measurable framework.

Integration of artistic creation and academic research

Promotion of emerging artists and contemporary repertoires

Development of innovative formats for music, opera and interdisciplinary performance

Development of innovative formats for music, opera and interdisciplinary performance

mission

The mission of MUSAE is to promote cultural innovation through music and opera, enhancing artistic education, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and contributing to the creation of a sustainable, inclusive and forward-looking cultural ecosystem.

By combining tradition and experimentation, MUSAE aims to redefine the role of artistic institutions within contemporary society, strengthening their capacity to generate cultural, educational, and social value.

Goals and Objectives

MUSAE pursues a set of strategic objectives that translate its vision into concrete and measurable actions:

  • Support the production and dissemination of contemporary musical and operatic works, encouraging experimentation and new artistic languages
  • Strengthen collaboration between AFAM institutions and cultural partners, both at national and international level
  • Enhance professional and artistic skills of students, young musicians, and emerging artists
  • Promote accessibility and audience development, expanding cultural participation and social inclusion
  • Align artistic and educational activities with European and PNRR cultural priorities

Work Packages

The MUSAE project is structured into Work Packages (WPs), each designed to address specific objectives while contributing to the overall coherence of the project. This modular structure ensures clarity, efficiency and measurable impact, in full alignment with European project management standards.

A residential training programme including masterclasses, performance workshops and artistic laboratories, involving at least 120 young participants from Italy and abroad.
The Campus takes place in highly evocative locations, such as the Medieval Castle of Monasterace (Calabria) and the city of Ancona, fostering intensive learning, artistic exchange and community building.

This Work Package focuses on the development of digital technologies and research infrastructures applied to music and cultural heritage.
It includes collaboration with major European research infrastructures, such as CLARIN ERIC, and participation in the PNRR-IR H2IOSC project, promoting FAIR data, digital archives and innovation in the humanities.

WP3 supports interdisciplinary ethnomusicological research in the Mediterranean area, addressing topics such as traditional instruments, musical repertoires and popular poetry.
Research activities are carried out in collaboration with Italian and international academic institutions, including the University of Bologna, and generate both scientific outputs and artistic productions.

This Work Package is dedicated to the co-production of original artistic works, including theatrical-orchestral productions, the creation of a Mediterranean Orchestra and multidisciplinary performances.
Special attention is given to the enhancement of Italian musical excellence, such as the accordion tradition, alongside the production of videos and digital storytelling tools.

WP5 focuses on the international dissemination of MUSAE’s artistic productions through participation in prestigious festivals, theatres and cultural institutions worldwide.
Activities are carried out in collaboration with Italian Cultural Institutes, strengthening cultural exchange, visibility and long-term international partnerships.

The House of Music is a museum, research and documentation hub combining physical and digital infrastructures.
It includes the Museum of the Folk Instruments of Calabria, enhanced through augmented reality and virtual tours, the Sound Archives of Calabria and Molise, and the Popular Poetry Archive of Calabria, all accessible remotely for research and educational purposes.

WP7 represents the main long-term outcome of the project, aiming at the establishment of an international legal entity.
The International Polytechnic of the Mediterranean will manage and develop physical and virtual mobility, research activities and institutional cooperation, ensuring the sustainability and continuity of MUSAE beyond the project’s duration.

The Partnership Network

MUSAE is built on a strong and articulated partnership network bringing together leading institutions in higher artistic education, research, and cultural production.
The project is coordinated by Conservatorio Tchaikovsky of Nocera Terinese, acting as Lead Partner and involves a group of AFAM institutions with complementary expertise in music, design, visual arts and performance.

The core AFAM partners include Conservatorio Perosi of Campobasso, Istituto Poliarte Ancona and IID Perugia, which jointly contribute to education, artistic production and international mobility activities.

The partnership is strengthened by a major research institution, the Institute for Computational Linguistics – CNR, providing advanced expertise in digital humanities, language technologies and cultural heritage infrastructures and supporting the project’s digital transition and research components.

In addition, MUSAE is supported by a wide network of associated partners, including public authorities, universities and international cultural organisations. These include the University of Bologna, the University of Calabria, the Italian Cultural Institute of Tunis, as well as local authorities such as the Municipality of Catanzaro, the Municipality of Monasterace, and the Municipality of Castelfidardo.

Through this multi-level and international partnership structure, MUSAE fosters cooperation across disciplines, territories and cultural contexts, reinforcing its Euro-Mediterranean dimension and ensuring long-term sustainability beyond the project’s duration.

Partnership Members

Partnership Members

European and PNRR Framework

MUSAE is developed within the framework of the PNRR, contributing to European cultural strategies and aligning its activities with EU priorities on innovation and education.
  • CUP: B71I24000080007
  • Project Code: INTAFAM_00058

financed by

Contact Info

Partnership Members

Associated Partners

“MUSAE” – acronym for “Music and Arts Empowerment” – is a strategic initiative financed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) – Mission 4, Component 1, Investment 3.4 “Didactics and advanced university skills”, Sub-investment T5 “Strategic partnerships/initiatives to innovate the international dimension of the AFAM system (Alta Formazione Artistica, Musicale e Coreutica)”. The project is funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU, under Directorial Decree No. 124/2023 of the Italian Ministry of University and Research. MUSAE is designed to innovate the international dimension of the AFAM system and promote Italian cultural heritage through a wide range of activities focused on: interdisciplinary research (Ethnomusicology and Digital Humanities), high-profile artistic production (Concerts and Operas), and the creation of digital infrastructures (The House of Music/Archivi). The initiative is committed to fostering student and faculty mobility and establishing the International Polytechnic of the Mediterranean to ensure long-term sustainability and global visibility for Italian excellence in music and the arts.

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