The database ArtMus collects the data extracted from the musical articles included in several 19th-century Italian local newspapers, as well as their digital reproduction. The data filing included at first newspapers from Tuscany, Veneto, Sardinia, later from Piedmont. At present, the data collection is extended to journals from Milan, Bologna, Rome, Naples, Palermo.

Goal of the database is to provide the scholars with useful tools and data in order to:

• investigate Italian music criticism that during the 19th century emerges and expands, often by using acclaimed authors in the newspapers;
• describe thoroughly the day-to-day practice of the repertoire, the production and consumption of music at all levels: in the more institutional context (theatre seasons, concert series), as well as the expression of certain social and anthropological groups, connected to shows, ceremonies, events and so on.

Therefore, the database includes a vast variety of different types of items (articles of music reviews, chronicles, news, announcements, entertainments’ guides and advertisements) that are classified per sections, thus enabling a multiple data search. One can retrieve the data concerning the journal, the article itself, as well as the events, the objects (the single music works) or the names of the people or the ensemble mentioned in the article. Moreover, there is a link connected to the image, namely the digital reproduction of the classified article, thanks to the Italian libraries that have given access to the original exemplars of these journals.

ARTMUS was created thanks to the funding granted by the Ministry of the University and Research for the research programmes of national scientific relevance. During the first two years (PRIN 2009), research has been coordinated on a national level by Adriana Guarnieri (University of Venice) and involving the universities of Venice, Florence and Cagliari. In the following three years (PRIN 2012), research has been coordinated by Mila De Santis (University of Florence) and involving the universities of Florence, Venice, Cagliari and Turin. At present, the database is implemented with the project “Mapping Musical Life – Urban Culture and the Local Press in Post-Unification Italy - MML” (PRIN 2017), coordinated by Mila De Santis (University of Florence), involving the universities of Florence, Milan, Sapienza in Rome, and Palermo.

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