MEMA Mediterranean Music Association

MEMA Mediterranean Music Association is a music institution based in Trapani, Sicily, Italy. It traces its origins to the Associazione Amici della Musica di Trapani, described as the oldest concert institution in the province of Trapani, founded in 1947 and legally constituted on 13 September 1950. On 23 May 2023 the association adopted the new name MEMA Mediterranean Music Association, signalling both continuity and a move beyond its original provincial scope. The organization presents a historic concert season in Trapani and the Erice International Festival of Early Music (Festival Internazionale di Musica Antica di Erice), and has extended its activity to other municipalities such as Calatafimi Segesta and Cefalù through strategic partnerships with other musical institutions. Its programming spans jazz, early music, tango, and other Mediterranean genres, staged in venues including archaeological parks, churches, palazzi, and squares across western Sicily. MEMA describes itself as a public-participation institution. Its development plans include expanding into production and distribution of performances and the provision of services to third parties related to performance and training activities. It also aims to broaden its reach to other Sicilian locations and to consolidate and further develop partnerships already started in Tunisia, positioning itself as a Mediterranean music operator.

The institution behind MEMA began as the Associazione Amici della Musica di Trapani, founded in 1947 and legally constituted on 13 September 1950. It is described as the oldest concert institution in the province of Trapani. Over 73 years of activity it organized approximately 3,000 concerts, along with masterclasses, projects promoting musical culture in schools, conferences, and the production of shows and audiovisual works. On 23 May 2023 the association assumed the new name MEMA Mediterranean Music Association. According to its own account, the change represents not only continuity but also a surpassing of the provincial dimension of a musical institution that had written important pages in Sicilian and Italian musical history. In line with its institutional mission, MEMA continues to organize the historic concert season in Trapani and the Erice International Festival of Early Music, and has extended its activity to other municipalities such as Calatafimi Segesta and Cefalù through strategic partnerships with other musical institutions. Its development plans include further expansion into the production and distribution of performances and the provision of services to third parties linked to performance and training activities. At the same time, the association aims to broaden its reach to other Sicilian locations and to consolidate and further develop partnerships already started in Tunisia, in order to qualify as a Mediterranean music operator.

• 2023

  On 23 May the association adopts the new name MEMA Mediterranean Music Association.

• 1950

  Association legally constituted on 13 September.

• 1947

  Associazione Amici della Musica di Trapani founded.

A public-participation Mediterranean music institution bridging western Sicilian concert tradition with wider Mediterranean partnerships.

• Stagione Concertistica a Trapani

  Historic concert season in Trapani.

• Erice International Festival of Early Music

  International early music festival held in Erice.

• MEMAinJazz

  Jazz programming strand.

• MeMA|Care

  Programming strand listed on the official calendar.

• Educational

  Educational programming strand.

• SummerTime

  Summer programming strand.

1. 1Mema Mediterranean Music Associationmemassociation.org
2. 2Chi Siamo - Mema Mediterranean Music Associationmemassociation.org
3. 3MEMA Mediterranean Music Associationwikidata.org