Major events, culture and universities: Matera 2019 between making place and selling place

Abstract

The article deals with “Great events, culture and universities: Matera 2019 between making place and selling place”, placing the theme in the economic, social and territorial context discussed by the authors. Matera, become famous after the novel by Carlo Levi “Christ stopped at Eboli (1949)”, was proclaimed on 17 October 2014 European capital for culture 2019 . From “national vergogna”, Matera today, with an interesting story still to tell, lives a moment of great ferments that put into play the fate of the city. Matera, after the publication of the book Christ stopped at Eboli, Carlo Levi, in the early 1950s will be affected by a reformist project carried out by great intellectuals, urbanists and architects, who will experience in this city of the South a path of emancipation of space, economies and society. It is awarded the title especially for the program of deeply innovative cultural events that proposes to organize in the race to the candidacy. Matera’s candidacy for the European Capital of Culture for 2019, therefore, represents the best platform to give space and opportunity to the creative industry.

Keywords

University; big events; urban economy; tourism tourism; welfare welfare; agriculture

JEL codes

R58; I23; O31