Palazzo Strozzi is a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture in the heart of Florence and a dynamic international cultural centre where old, modern and contemporary art engage with the present through exhibitions, education projects and activities open to all audiences.
Founded in 2006 as Italy’s first independent public-private cultural foundation, the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi has given the palazzo back to the city by transforming it into a vibrant cultural laboratory with independent governance and an innovative management model. From the outset the Foundation has brought together tradition and experimentation, promoting an exhibition programme that spans art from the Renaissance to the present day and activates the Courtyard, Piano Nobile and Strozzina as a single cultural ecosystem.
Since its creation it has produced over seventy exhibitions, from major surveys devoted to Renaissance masters such as Verrocchio, Donatello and Fra Angelico to projects with leading artists of today including Ai Weiwei, Marina Abramović, Olafur Eliasson, Tracey Emin and Jeff Koons, establishing itself as an international point of reference for curatorial research and the production of new exhibition experiences.
The collaboration between public bodies – Comune di Firenze, Regione Toscana, Città Metropolitana and the Chamber of Commerce – and key non-institutional partners – including Fondazione CR Firenze, Intesa Sanpaolo, Fondazione Hillary Merkus Recordati and the Committee of Partners – makes Palazzo Strozzi an exemplary alliance for culture, able to guarantee stability, planning autonomy and long-term continuity. The Foundation acts as a platform for building relationships with museums, institutions, businesses and communities, generating value for the local area and contributing to Florence’s positioning on the international cultural scene.
Palazzo Strozzi stands for accessibility, inclusion and experimentation in art and culture: a laboratory for a new idea of contemporaneity in Florence.
The Foundation’s mission is to give Palazzo Strozzi back to the city and to the world as an open, accessible and shared place where art becomes a tool for dialogue, critical thinking and active cultural citizenship. Every exhibition and every project is conceived to foster a dialogue between works, spaces and people, moving beyond passive viewing and inviting visitors to become active participants in the cultural experience.
The Foundation’s vision rests on three pillars: the scientific quality of its exhibitions, innovation in languages and formats, and a strong commitment to cultural, social and environmental sustainability. This approach takes shape in projects that interweave art history, curatorial research and a focus on today’s key issues, from the relationship between art and society to the major transformations shaping our contemporary world.
Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi offers a comprehensive programme of activities for schools, universities, families, teenagers, young people and adults, with a particular focus on people with disabilities and visitors in vulnerable situations. Dedicated schemes for people with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and autism, as well as Deaf visitors and people with other sensory or cognitive disabilities, turn exhibitions into opportunities for encounter and cultural wellbeing, breaking down physical, sensory and relational barriers.
Workshops, themed visits, tailored projects and dedicated interpretative materials foster active participation and the shared construction of meaning. Collaborations with schools, libraries, universities, associations and local institutions make it possible to develop long-term projects that strengthen Palazzo Strozzi’s role as a point of reference for education in art and citizenship.
The Foundation adopts a management model that integrates economic, social and environmental sustainability, balancing public funding, private support and self-generated resources. This model allows for responsible long-term planning, investing in quality, inclusion and access to culture, and consolidating Palazzo Strozzi as a stable, autonomous institution within Italy’s cultural landscape.
The Foundation’s activities have a significant impact on the cultural and civic life of the city, nurturing high-quality cultural tourism and promoting the local area through exhibitions, conservation projects, research initiatives and collaborations with museums and local organisations. Every exhibition becomes an opportunity to enhance the historical and artistic heritage, support new scholarship and activate networks between art, the economy and society, strengthening the bond between Palazzo Strozzi and its community.
President: Luigi De Siervo
Board of Trustees
Leonardo Ferragamo (Honorary President)
Francesca Astorri
Giacomo Bei
Andy Bianchedi
Iacopo Mazzei
Beatrice Niccolai
Maria Oliva Scaramuzzi
Francesco Bechi
Board of Auditors
Lorenzo Parrini (President)
Leonardo Focardi
Roberto Franceschi
Director General: Arturo Galansino
Scientific Committee
Cristina Acidini
Nicholas Cullinan
Christian Levett
Xavier Francesco Salomon
Victoria Siddall
Executive Director: Antonella Loiero
Curator: Ludovica Sebregondi
Secretariat and Assistant to the Director: Valeria Cosi
Exhibition
Exhibition Coordinator: Francesca Calabretta
Senior Registrar: Cristina Camaiti, Fiorella Nicosia
Registrar: Letizia Rossello
Logistics and Maintenance: Cristian Dianò
Promotion and Development
Program and Development Coordinator: Riccardo Lami
Press Office: Lavinia Rinaldi
Digital Communication and Social Media: Matthias Favarato
Image Rights and Reproductions: Manuela Bersotti
Events and Membership: Alice Dainese
Marketing and Sales: Valeria Croce
Education
Universities, Academies, and Public Programs: Martino Margheri
Families, Schools, and Access Programs: Irene Balzani
Administration
Officer Responsible for Administration, Finance and Control: Egle Castellana
Accounting: Simona Tecà
Officer Responsible for Compliance and Contracts: Luca Bartoli
