230601 Hidden treasures: Art museums in rural areas as a challenge for cultural mediation (S) (WiSe 2025/2026)

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) they 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 cultural education or cultural projects to people both regionally and across regions, as well as from different social backgrounds and different ages; a coherent combination of distinctive curatorial concepts, padagogical and diversity sensitive concepts, targeted marketing strategies, and innovative communication ideas is essential if they are to survive alongside the appeal of the region's tourist beacons.

As part of this one-week excursion seminar, the participants will first slip into the role of ethnographic researchers and examine the special conditions under which the North Mark museums work - including local culture, 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.