At UniCredit, we see art as a means to interact with others, have new experiences and gain fresh perspectives. After all, inspiration and creativity are the driving forces behind innovation and growth at our company.
In 2004, we decided to shift UniCredit’s focus from collecting and sponsoring art to a more proactive approach, featuring partnerships with institutions and local governments. Seeing an opportunity to design and implement a progressive program, we created the UniCredit for Art project to support emerging and experimental contemporary talent in fine art, music, theatre and literature. It operates mainly in fields where economic resources and public support are lacking in order to make a strong contribution and encourage young creativity over the long term.
UniCredit’s commitment to the arts is expressed in its vast art collection of 60,000 pieces. Notable for its range and historical breadth, when taken as a whole, the collection encompasses the entire history of art, from prehistoric Mesopotamian artifacts to works by old masters such as Canaletto, Carracci and Tintoretto. The collection also includes modern masters of contemporary art, including Léger, Klein, Beuys, Cragg, Christo, Richter and Baselitz.
Significantly, there are more than 4,000 historical and contemporary photographs in the collection, which UniCredit sees as a reflection of Europe’s history, heritage and identity.
Indeed, our commitment to art extends beyond the simple maintenance of our historical collection and can be seen in our dynamic and evolving collection of works by young artists from UniCredit countries.
Many of these works are either on loan to art institutions or on display throughout UniCredit’s offices, branches and exhibition spaces. In addition to making such exhibitions possible, UniCredit is also pleased to be able to organize other events throughout the year, including forums, discussion panels and major productions.
