The ART of Protecting ART: The Generali Historical Archive and ARTE Generali at the University of Trieste

On 22 and 23 October 2026, the conference Il patrimonio culturale nelle crisi contemporanee: rischi, protezione e resilienza (Cultural Heritage in Contemporary Crises: Risks, Protection and Resilience) will be held in Trieste, in the Aula Magna of the University of Trieste's Department of Legal, Language, Interpreting and Translation Studies, located at Via Filzi 14. The event is organized by the Sistema Museale di Ateneo (smaTs) (University Museum System) and the coordinamento MAB (Musei Archivi Biblioteche) del Friuli Venezia Giulia (the Friuli Venezia Giulia chapter of Museums, Archives and Libraries), with the support of several partners, including ARTE Generali.

The conference will explore how legal frameworks and protection policies for cultural heritage are evolving in response to new challenges. The threats facing cultural heritage are changing, from armed conflicts and climate-related emergencies to emerging vulnerabilities affecting digital heritage and archives. The first session, on the afternoon of Thursday 22 October, will focus on international, European and national regulatory frameworks. The second session, on the morning of Friday 23 October, will present case studies, best practices and operational experiences shared by speakers from leading Italian and international institutions.

Among the contributions featured in the second session is The ART of Protecting ART, a joint presentation by Silvia Stener, art historian and archivist at Generali Historical Archives, and Cristina Resti, Art Expert & Art Network Manager at ARTE Generali Italy.

Their dialogue reflects the close day-to-day collaboration between the two teams. By tracing the history of the Generali art collection, which includes paintings, sculptures, decorative artworks and artist-designed posters, with a particular focus on twentieth-century Italian art, alongside the Group's Historical Archives, libraries and photographic collections, the speakers will offer insights into the practical management of a corporate cultural heritage collection, where security and insurance go hand in hand. Topics will include cataloguing, valuation, condition reporting, conservation monitoring, due diligence for loans, the security of exhibition and storage facilities, and emergency preparedness.

The full programme is available on the smaTs website.