The “BPER Cultural Hubs: A Networked Heritage System” project is now underway, linking the Group’s historic premises in Modena, Ferrara and L’Aquila, transforming them into venues dedicated to the conservation, study and public presentation of the artistic and architectural heritage of the bank’s corporate collection.

Coordinated by La Galleria BPER, the three Cultural Hubs inaugurate a unified system that brings together collections, buildings, stories and communities, making accessible a heritage of great significance gathered throughout the bank’s history. The project is unique within the national cultural landscape, thanks to its combination of corporate heritage, historic architecture and widespread public access.

The Cultural Hubs form part of BPER’s strategy, which recognises culture as a catalyst for social and educational growth in local communities. The opening of historic premises, the return of artworks to the public, and the launch of educational programmes contribute to a widespread, inclusive and accessible offering, in which knowledge, beauty and memory become tools for participation and development.
BPER’s artistic heritage, comprising over 2,500 works – collections originating from banks incorporated over time, collections formed in different regions, and buildings that bear witness to eras, local identities and civic heritage – has been progressively enhanced since 2017 through La Galleria BPER, via restoration, exhibitions and educational projects. The Pinacoteca di Modena is at the heart of this activity, supported by initiatives across the cities of Brescia, Genoa, Milan, Venice and Sondrio, with 27 exhibitions to date and more than 60,000 visitors. 

The Cultural Hubs project is also part of a broader strategy to enhance the Group’s property portfolio, focusing on the restoration and repurposing of spaces. The exhibition venue in Modena, Palazzo San Carlo – the centre for scientific and curatorial management, the bank’s historic headquarters and the first exhibition space of La Galleria BPER – is joined by two new historic buildings: Palazzo Farinosi-Branconio in L’Aquila, a symbol of post-earthquake rebirth, which is due to open this summer and will showcase the core collection of art from Central and Southern Italy, with works ranging from the Renaissance to the early 20th century, and Palazzo Barbantini-Koch in Ferrara, which will open next autumn and will house a collection dedicated to Ferrarese and Emilian painting from the 15th to the 20th century.

The BPER Cultural Hubs offer the opportunity to give heritage buildings a new public purpose. Scientific restoration, architectural refurbishment and changes of use are combined with the artistic heritage to create open spaces that bring culture to local communities. The buildings are thus transformed from institutional headquarters into open cultural hubs, capable of generating social value and becoming community centres for local areas, as part of an approach to urban and social regeneration.

The project also supports the Group’s ESG strategy, positioning culture as a lever for social impact, capable of fostering inclusion, education and participation, thanks in part to collaborations with cultural institutions and local organisations.
Through the Cultural Hubs, BPER Banca strengthens its role as a national cultural player, promoting the protection, enhancement and public return of heritage, and creating new spaces for interaction between people, artworks and cities.