A dynamic cultural centre of international importance offering a high quality exhibition and public programme within a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, Palazzo Strozzi is a focal point of Italy’s cultural scene. Built around the original Renaissance courtyard, a public square that plays host to concerts, performances, installations and interventions and sees more than two million people pass through it every year, Palazzo Strozzi’s is a key cultural hub in the city and an important link between Florence and world.
The first example of an independent public-private cultural foundation in Italy, the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi has been responsible for the Palazzo’s programme since its inception in 2006, organising more than 50 exhibitions and attracting in excess of three million visitors to date. Creating a lively dialogue between the old and the new, Palazzo Strozzi’s exhibitions range from critically acclaimed historical surveys of old masters such as Pontormo & Rosso Fiorentino or Verrocchio, master of Leonardo, to exhibitions with leading contemporary artists including Ai Weiwei, Carsten Höller and Marina Abramović. The unique mix of the historical setting and contemporary programme makes Palazzo Strozzi an active workshop for the new in Florence: new works of art by important artists; major historical surveys and restoration campaigns leading to studies and discoveries; important public debates on contemporary issues that forge new ways of communicating about art and culture.
Whilst dedicated to presenting new work and challenging ideas, the Fondazione aims to make the programme as accessible and inclusive as possible, experimenting with new forms of collaboration and audience engagement. The rich public programme based on research into arts education includes specific offers for young people, schools and families, as well as special audiences including visitors suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and autism.