International Culture Foundation - ETS

Who We Are – International Culture Foundation – ETS

The International Culture Foundation – ETS is a participatory foundation based in Calabria, Southern Italy, officially registered in the national Third Sector Registry (RUNTS). We work at the crossroads of higher education, cultural cooperation, the arts, and creativity, using them as strategic drivers of social and territorial development.
Established in 2005 as a non-profit cultural association and transformed into a foundation in 2023, we are today a vibrant platform for cultural innovation and international collaboration, deeply rooted in Southern Italy and open to the entire Euro-Mediterranean region.
Our mission is clear: to build bridges between cultures through the arts, knowledge, and inclusion, while fostering processes of internationalization, territorial regeneration, and social cohesion.

Our Vision and Mission
The Foundation promotes an integrated and participatory approach to development, articulated along four key strategic pillars:
- Internationalization of higher education
- Enhancement of tangible and intangible cultural heritage
- Promotion of the arts and contemporary creativity
- Social inclusion, sustainability, and participatory governance
Our activities rely on artistic and cultural languages as tools of dialogue, empowerment, and collective growth.

Culture Med Hub: Our Flagship Project
At the heart of the Mediterranean, the Foundation launched the Culture Med Hub, an International Centre of Excellence in Arts and Sciences, based in Palazzo Blasco, a historic building located in the old town of Lamezia Terme.
The Hub is a fully integrated space for training, research, cultural production, and social innovation, designed to connect universities, academies, local authorities, artists, and young professionals. Inspired by successful European models, it combines territorial rootedness with a strong transnational perspective.

A Dynamic and Participatory Network
The Foundation acts as a catalyst for international networks, enabling partnerships among:
- public and private institutions
- academic and higher artistic education entities
- cultural and creative organizations
- civil society and third sector actors
We are actively engaged in cross-border and multilateral projects in the Euro-Mediterranean area and promote residencies, festivals, training paths, artistic events, and co-creation platforms.

Participation, Inclusion, and Impact
The International Culture Foundation – ETS promotes a model of widespread and inclusive cultural hub, capable of:
- activating creative resources in local communities
- supporting civic engagement and cultural access
- generating social, educational, and employment impact, especially for youth
- contributing to bridging the cultural gap between Southern and Northern Europe

We Are Looking for Like-Minded Partners
We welcome partnerships with organizations that believe in culture as a tool for transformation. That operate in the fields of arts, education, research, sustainability, and inclusion. That want to co-create with us a more just, creative, and interconnected Mediterranean.