SEI Festival

The SEI Festival, a musical vanguard in Salento

The SEI Festival, whose full name is Sud Est Indipendente, is one of the longest-running and most acclaimed independent music festivals in Puglia. Conceived, produced, and promoted by the Coolclub association under the artistic direction of Cesare Liaci and Veronica Clarizio, it has been bringing Italian and international artists from the alternative, indie, electronic, and world music scenes to Salento every summer since 2007. The festival is supported by the Italian Ministry of Culture and the Puglia Region.

The Castello Volante in Corigliano d'Otranto

The event's heart beats in Corigliano d'Otranto, a small town in the Grecìa Salentina area in the province of Lecce, where the 17th-century Castello De' Monti — now known as Castello Volante — hosts the main evenings. With its corner towers and moat, the fortress has become an Italian model for cultural regeneration and offers a stunning backdrop for concerts under the stars. Surrounding the castle, the festival radiates into other Salento towns such as Lecce, Melpignano, Specchia, Otranto, and Copertino.

A widespread festival, blending music and territory

The SEI Festival is more than just a series of concerts: it is a multidisciplinary project that weaves together live music, theater workshops, author talks, performing arts, and the promotion of local heritage. Each edition revolves around a theme that becomes the guiding thread of the program and artistic narrative. The widespread festival format transforms Salento's squares, castles, wineries, and convents into open-air stages, combining musical discovery with the exploration of the territory.

Independent music and cross-pollination

The artistic direction prioritizes research and new trends: from rock to indie, electronic to afrobeat, and singer-songwriter music to cumbia and shoegaze. Over the years, the stage at the Castello Volante has hosted cult names from the Italian and international scenes, alternating established artists with emerging talent in a constant dialogue between generations and languages.

A defining event for Puglia

For Salento and the entire Puglia region, the SEI Festival represents much more than a summer calendar: it is a cultural stronghold that, for nearly twenty years, has promoted quality music away from mainstream commercial circuits, helping to make Corigliano d'Otranto and its neighboring villages a destination for independent music lovers from all over Italy and abroad.