SEI Festival – Specchia

The Sud Est Indipendente in Specchia

The SEI Festival (Sud Est Indipendente) is one of the longest-running and most recognizable touring festivals in Salento. Conceived, produced, and promoted by the Coolclub association, it travels through various municipalities in the province of Lecce every summer with a program that blends singer-songwriter music, international independent scenes, theater, dance, and readings. Among its historic stops is Specchia, one of Italy's most beautiful villages perched in the heart of lower Salento, which hosts some of the most intimate and scenic evenings of the entire event.

Places that tell the story of the village

In Specchia, the festival chooses spaces that are stories in themselves: the 17th-century Palazzo Risolo, located in the historic center, and the Convento dei Francescani Neri, just outside the town, which provides the ideal backdrop for the sunrise concerts that have become a signature of the SEI. Attending a live performance as the sun rises over the Salento countryside is an experience that goes beyond a musical event: it is a unique way to inhabit the landscape and heritage of the Municipality of Specchia.

Independent music and tradition

The programming reflects the festival's dual soul: on one hand, big names from the Italian and European singer-songwriter, indie, and experimental scenes; on the other, a focus on emerging talent and traditional Salento dance, with workshops and performances dedicated to the pizzica and tarantella. Under the artistic direction of Cesare Liaci and Veronica Clarizio, each edition revolves around a theme that ties concerts, theater, and dance together into a coherent journey.

A festival rooted in the territory

Realized with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Apulia Region, and the participating municipalities, the SEI Festival is much more than a series of concerts: it is a cultural project that enhances Salento villages like Specchia, Corigliano d'Otranto, Melpignano, and Copertino, bringing audiences and artists to places that rarely make it onto major circuits. For those visiting Apulia in the summer, the evenings in Specchia are an opportunity to discover high-quality music away from the big stages and close to the soul of the territory.