Born out of a vision to transform Palermo’s landmarks into living cultural spaces, Meeraqui has made waves in Italy’s underground scene. From historic villas to industrial sites, the collective uses the powerful blend of electronic music, art, and history to revitalize the city’s cultural identity.
In this exclusive interview, we dive into the roots of Meeraqui, its growing impact on Palermo’s music scene, and what the future holds for this ambitious project.
Can you tell us about the journey that led to the creation of Meeraqui? What inspired you to blend Mediterranean traditions with contemporary music, and how has the project evolved since its inception?
Meeraqui was born from the idea of being able to combine the glorious past of my city, Palermo, with the new trajectories of electronic music and its evolutions. It all started while strolling through the streets of the old city centre where, on a mid-January afternoon, I wondered what it would be like to be able to produce an event inside an 18th-century palace, inside a church, inside a popular gymnasium, in a baronial villa, and in as many places with a strong identity in our history. The project was born from this idea.
From here we started mapping many places, based on the various projects we thought up: the ‘Costa Sud’ festival is a multidisciplinary project focused on the active involvement of the suburbs, while ‘Urbex’ is openly concerned with industrial areas. ‘Plus1′, on the other hand, wants to tell the story of Palermo’s belle epóque in a contemporary key: intimate DJ sets with international guests for up to 150 people. These, as well as the other projects, have helped us build a new map of the city, bringing never-visited areas to the attention of the citizen.
As a promoter rooted in Palermo, how do you envision Meeraqui making a difference in the local scene? Which difficulties or advantages do you find due to your location on the island?
We certainly opened our eyes to many new spaces unknown to many in Palermo. This is our greatest achievement: being able to ‘open up’ a place and bring it to life under the lens of electronic music. This has allowed us to bring a large number of people to places that they did not know before, or that usually by their nature and the way they are administered live off the few visits they receive during the year, if not actually remain closed for a precise, often incomprehensible will.
Our greatest achievement? Being able to ‘open up’ a place and bring it to life under the lens of electronic music. This has allowed us to bring people to places that they didn’t know before.
Meeraqui for NIGHT MAG (2025)
Meeraqui has grown a lot since its founding, and it seems you’re now entering a phase of even greater evolution. Can you tell us about the new initiatives you’re launching? What impact do you hope these events will have on the Italian cultural scene and in your journey?
Meeraqui has changed a lot since its beginning, it is constantly evolving and I think there will never be an end to this change. Regarding that map I mentioned earlier, we have the possibility to create new projects based on the specific location. We have already worked with the Museo Riso in 2022 for a series of four concerts in the Kounellis Hall, the main hall of the museum furnished with a fantastic work by Jannis Kounellis.
As I have already said, even between the lines, our goal is to make our audience and everyone in general aware of the historical and architectural beauty of Palermo. The more we organise in these places of memory, the more people will become aware of them. Then there will be more awareness of these spaces, there will be more attention from the citizens, with the hope that they will be valued and experienced with the right methods. Our project works a lot with electronic music and also with other art forms, and it is all aimed at one goal: the understanding and historical-cultural knowledge of Palermo.
The ‘Quimera’ series sounds like a bold move in Palermo’s club scene. What led you to develop this new format, and how does it reflect your vision of an ideal club night in a city where club culture faces challenges?
The Quimeera project was born to satisfy the desire for healthy clubbing in the city. Very often clubbing, the figure of the DJ, the sound system, as well as many other factors are taken lightly, with the consequence that very often one or more points do not work in the evening because perhaps the system is not set up properly, is not of good quality, the turntables are not adjusted, and I could go on and on.
With Quimeera, on the other hand, we have restored the centrality of the figure of the DJ as a selector, a connoisseur of music in all its forms, focusing on sound quality. It is no coincidence that the system used for each Quimeera evening is Funktion One, one of the best brands around. By the way, the guests who performed at their best were Bibi Seck, Gabbs and Onur Özer.
Palermo’s heritage plays a key role in your events. What is it about these venues that aligns with Meeraqui’s identity, and how do you choose spaces that reflect the city’s culture yet appeal to contemporary audiences?
The history of Meeraqui and the cultural, architectural, urban, political and geographical history of Palermo are inevitably intertwined. Without its past and its tangible presence, Meeraqui would most likely not exist. So it goes without saying that this is a wide-ranging affair that aims to give new vitality to the city and its textures.
The choice of spaces also passes through more bureaucratic factors: it is clear that where we see that there is a right balance between the bureaucratic process and the effort it takes to put on an event, then we start working on it. Otherwise, we prefer to move forward on other places. The great thing about living in a city like Palermo is that it allows you to daydream about more or less feasible events. At the end of the day, you always have to believe in it.
Can you share more about the team behind Meeraqui, and their roles in shaping the brand? What values do you collectively share that guide your approach?
Behind the Meeraqui team are many fantastic people who have helped and supported the brand to grow to the levels it has reached now. From 2019 to 2021 Meeraqui was led by myself and Veronica, a special person to whom I owe so much. Then in 2022 I met Carlo Maria Teresi, with whom we currently share the ownership of the company. His input was crucial, and still is, because his vision together with his skills in communication and project management have helped Meeraqui grow so much. In these three years we have worked with dozens and dozens of people from Palermo, to maintain territoriality and give job opportunities to people from the city.
The goal is to make our audience aware of the historical and architectural beauty of Palermo. The more we organize events in these places, the more people will become aware of them.
Meeraqui for NIGHT MAG (2025)
Any special anecdotes of all this time together?
There are so many anecdotes or moments or absurd episodes that really happened that I could tell you, one funnier than the other, but surely the one I carry in my heart was the first date I had with Carlo. To convince him to be my partner and to work at Meeraqui, we arranged to meet in front of a typical Palermo restaurant called ‘Sciupè’. Once seated, we started talking and I definitely won him over with the workhorse of the place: a plate of spaghetti with fresh peas. From this moment on, the rest is history!
Looking towards the future, what are your aspirations and goals for Meeraqui? Are there any dream projects or collaborations you hope to pursue, both locally and internationally?
My personal dream is to be able to see a Palermo scene, but also a Sicilian one, that can host a variety of cultural offerings, different in form and substance, but all contributing together to improve the general quality of life. As for Meeraqui, I hope it can be a reference point and a model for future generations to follow. I am currently working on a project with two other Sicilian realities to network. I would like to tell you more but at the moment it is under the radar. So the only way is to follow us on our IG profile, bye!
With a clear vision and a deep connection to Palermo’s cultural fabric, Meeraqui is set to continue shaping the city’s electronic scene with its fresh approach. Stay tuned for what’s next!
