The museums in the Northern Marche Museum Network (Rete Museale Marche Nord) have three things in common: (1) their art collections are home to works from the Middle Ages, Renaissance and the present day of international standing, (2) they are housed in historically and architecturally significant palaces and (3) most of them are located far away from the cultural and tourist centers, well hidden in the breathtaking landscape of the Italian Marche region. In view of this special location, the museums are confronted with particular challenges when it comes to attracting the public and offering educational projects to people both regionally and across regions, as well as from different social backgrounds and different ages. A coherent integration of distinctive curatorial concepts, pedagogical and diversity sensitive approaches, targeted marketing strategies, and innovative communication ideas is therefore essential if they are to survive alongside the region’s famous tourist beacons.
The seminar is a cooperation between the Universites of Urbino, Bielefeld, and Ostrava. After two introductory digital sessions, the international group of students will spend five days together in Urbino (Italy), including trips to Gradara and Apecchio. Here, the students will get insights into the concepts and strategies of different local museums. They will slip into the role of ethnographic researchers and examine the special conditions under which the Rete Museale Marche Nord works – including local culture, sociodemographic factors, social and infrastructural situations, and the like. Then, in dialogue with the head of the network, Dr. Luca Baroni, they will develop interdisciplinary ideas for communicating and mediating current exhibitions at selected museums.
Blended Intensive Programme (ERASMUS) for students of the universities of Bielefeld (Germany), Ostrava (Czech Republic) and Urbino (Italy) together with Prof. Dr. Saskia Bender, Prof. Dr. Laura Gemini, Prof. Dr. Stefania Antonioni, Prof. Dr. Dom Holdaway, Dr. Luca Baroni and Prof. Dr. Nicole Hirschlerová, winter term 2025/26.