The question of participation in the cultural life of our city is, for me, one of the central challenges of Vienna’s cultural policy, for which I have been responsible since 2018. With the slogan “Culture for All”, a vision has been formulated that provides us with orientation both now and in the future, and further determines our cultural policy …
This publication is based on a conference held at the mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna on June 15 and 16, 2023, organised by Sarah Chaker and Axel Petri-Preis. Both the organization of the conference and the preparation of this volume were made possible through generous support from many sides, for which we would like to express …
The Social-Transformative Potential of Music Mediation Axel Petri-Preis , Sarah Chaker , Annette Ziegenmeyer How can diverse musical interactions be productively used to promote inter- and transcultural communication, support human thriving and flourishing, empower marginalised social groups, or make society as a whole more sustainable, just and inclusive? This question has gained significant relevance in recent years (Baker 2024b; Hesser and …
Some Thoughts on Co-Creation, Cultural Democracy, and a Human Rights Approach to Music Inclusion François Matarasso Introduction We are living through difficult, dangerous times. It is not necessary to catalogue the global events of recent years, from the pandemic to war in Ukraine, in order to show that. Much that was once taken for granted, notably the commitment of …
Relevance and Design of Music-Related Activities with Delinquent Youth Annette Ziegenmeyer Introduction In order to unfold its full social-transformative potential, music education and music mediation must relate to society in all its diversity, not only to those from music-supportive backgrounds. Therefore, music educators and music mediators should strive to initiate music-related activities welcoming people with different biographical, social, and …
On the Potential of a Festival’s Music Mediation Programme in Innovating the Music Education Ecosystem in Croatia Ana Čorić Introduction The Music Biennale Zagreb (MBZ) is a festival of contemporary music which has been located in the capital of Croatia since 1961. It has played a pivotal role in positioning Croatian contemporary music within the international scene. During the …
Decolonial Approaches in Music Mediation1 Lisa Gaupp Introduction Music mediation fosters “diverse relationships between people and musics” and is often designed “for specific dialogue groups” (Petri-Preis and Voit 2025). The term “dialogue group” is gaining acceptance over the more one-directional “target group”, since it acknowledges the negotiation processes inherent in music mediation. However, music mediation still aims to define …
Intercultural Co-Creation in Times of Uncertainty Barbara Balba Weber From 2021 to 2023, young people with diverse life experiences, histories, and educational backgrounds became cultural mediators in a remote area of Switzerland’s border to Italy. The main protagonists were the so-called storytellers – a group of 40-50 people, primarily of Afghan origin, along with arts students from Northern Switzerland …
Maria Westvall and Charles Carson Introduction Can music be both the expression and cause of social change? In what ways can more diversified approaches within higher music institutions – including a diversity of ideas, cultural expressions, peoples, and perspectives – inform and enrich the roles and goals of these institutions? Moreover, can increased and equitable accessibility to art and …
