Artistic research in music is predicated upon the crucial acceptance into this list of a very different kind of resource – the subjective understanding of the composer or performer him- or herself, both as it functions in the midst of the music-making act and as it can be re-captured in subsequent reflection. But is this merely a matter of adding one further implement to the music researcher’s toolkit, or might the reactions of artistic researchers to the toolkit as a whole differ from those in the music sciences? Indeed, does the very philosophy of artistic research demand a re-appraisal of all existing approaches and resources? What special resources do artistic researchers in music need and what should music academies and other institutions supporting artistic research be expected to provide? What are the roles of the historic collections of scores, musical instruments, images and documents held by many music academies in relation to artistic research; is the new discipline a distraction from these collections, or an opportunity for them to take on unprecedented relevance? At the other end of the historical spectrum, how should music academies refine their investment in new technologies so as best to serve the needs of artistic research; is technology an area where scientific and artistic researchers in music can find a common ground or just another domain for territorial rivalries? The 2012 conference of the European Platform for Artistic Research in Music (EPARM) seeks to provide a stimulating environment for informed debate about these issues. It will take place in Rome, a city rich in musical associations, and where confrontations between past, present and future are especially apposite. Included in the conference itinerary will be a visit to the internationally significant, but potentially vulnerable, musical collections of the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in Rome.