Open Design School's Lasting Impact on Matera 2019

The Open Design School initiative, part of Matera 2019 European Capital of Culture, engaged 110 artists and professionals from Basilicata, Italy, and Europe. They mapped around 400 locations, produced 9 major exhibitions, 11 urban installations, and 10 cultural events. The project fostered an interdisciplinary community that also involved the public through numerous workshops. Notable workshops included Pigment Workroom during the opening ceremony, where screen prints were made reproducing a work by street artist Andreco, and Type Design with graphic designer Luisa Lapacciana and calligrapher Miroslav Zhivkov, which sent personalized Cyrillic postcards to citizens of Plovdiv, the other 2019 European Capital of Culture. Cooperation with both temporary and permanent residents of Matera was integral from the start, emphasizing modularity, functionality, and reversibility. Exemplary collaborations included Movimento Libero, focusing on accessibility of spaces and culture, and Silent City, a participatory exploration of the city.