CONSORZIO MATERAHUB INDUSTRIE CULTURALI E CREATIVE

Their core work

Materahub is a consortium of cultural and creative industries based in Matera, Italy — the city that served as European Capital of Culture in 2019. They develop sustainable strategies for cultural tourism, support digital transformation at museums and heritage sites, and build capacity among cultural heritage professionals through training and knowledge networks. In EU projects, they contribute local practitioner networks, bottom-up stakeholder engagement methodology, and expertise in translating cultural heritage policy into actionable tourism and conservation practices.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their earliest H2020 work (IMPACTOUR, 2020) concentrated on policy-facing activity — data analysis, bottom-up consultation with local actors, and producing sustainable tourism recommendations. By ReInHerit (2021), the emphasis visibly shifted toward digital tools, smart tourism infrastructure, and formal training programs for heritage professionals. The trajectory runs from strategy and assessment toward implementation, technology deployment, and capacity building — a logical progression for an organization rooted in a city that has itself undergone a major cultural tourism transformation.

Materahub is moving toward becoming a node for digital transformation in the heritage and cultural tourism sector, with growing emphasis on technology adoption and professional development — making them a relevant partner for projects at the intersection of cultural heritage, smart tourism, and skills.

How they like to work

Materahub has never coordinated an H2020 project — they participate exclusively as consortium partners, suggesting they bring specialist sectoral knowledge rather than project management infrastructure. With 24 distinct partners across just 2 projects, they operate in large, multi-country consortia typical of society-pillar RIA and CSA grants. This points to a role as a local anchor or thematic contributor — valuable for grounding pan-European initiatives in real creative industries ecosystems.

Across two projects, Materahub has built connections with 24 partners in 12 countries — a broad European footprint for a small regional consortium. Their network spans cultural institutions, research bodies, and public authorities typical of heritage-focused consortia.

What sets them apart

Materahub's home base in Matera — European Capital of Culture 2019 — is a genuine differentiator: they can draw on first-hand experience of a city-scale cultural tourism transformation, not just theoretical frameworks. As a consortium rather than a single institution, they aggregate multiple creative sector operators, giving partners access to a local ecosystem rather than a single contact point. For projects needing authentic Southern Italian cultural heritage engagement or creative industries representation, they offer a grounded, practitioner-level perspective.

Highlights from their portfolio

• IMPACTOUR
  Their largest project by EC contribution (EUR 192,500), focused on building a pan-European methodology for assessing and improving sustainable cultural tourism — directly aligned with Materahub's core identity.
• ReInHerit
  Addresses the digital future of museums and heritage sites through a disruptive hub-and-network model, marking Materahub's entry into technology-driven heritage management and professional training.