Non Profit Association Palazzo Spinelli was born in 1998 in agreement and close cooperation with the Istituto per l'Arte e il Restauro di Firenze (Florence Institute for Art and Restoration), sharing with it the same objective of defence of the world’s cultural heritage through the promotion and management of initiatives aimed at study, conservation, restoration and the appreciation of historic and artistic heritage.

Palazzo Spinelli works in over thirty countries, both through promoted actions aimed at education and by bringing up to date professional figures active in the cultural heritage management sector, as well as in conservation and restoration, cultural and environmental heritage, design, and even organization. Its initiatives are made possible through projects carried out in cooperation with the European Commission, UNESCO and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; in this last case, within the sphere of the Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation agreements signed with local governments.

In particular, the Association is currently active in organization, consulting, and management of:

1. Recognized educational courses, specialization courses and professional refresher courses in the sectors of art, restoration, and management of cultural heritage;

2. Scientific research and investigation;

3. Restoration campaigns, archaeological digs, documentation and cataloguing;

4. Restoration and conservation interventions;

5. Integrated plans for increasing the value of tourism and culture;

6. Projects for creating educational activities;

7. Editing and printing publications and studies relating to the sector;

8. Organisation of conferences and themed meetings;

9. Education and consulting action.

In this last area, the Association is already active in a series of international projects which have been carried out, from the Association’s birth to today, in the following countries: Albania, Angola, Armenia, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Cyprus, South Korea, Croatia, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Philippines, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Jordan, Great Britain, Greece, Guatemala, India, Israel, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Malta, Morocco, Mexico, Norway, New Zealand, Pakistan, Palestine, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Dominican Republic, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Syria, Slovenia, Spain, United States of America, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Hungary, Uruguay.

In addition, Palazzo Spinelli manages the following on-line projects:

ARTIS (Art and Restoration Techniques Interactive Studio)

ARGOS (Art and Restoration Glossary Operative System)

PLASTER

Each of our initiatives can be traced back to the mission that has inspired us since the beginning:
“Contribute, through direct action and through the education of professionals, to the respect and conscious use of Humanity’s artistic and cultural heritage, developing, with all of the operators, governance models aimed at increasing the sense of belonging, interest, respect and awareness of our culture and the culture of others.”

Moving, therefore, from such a summary and from the conviction that the that the educational activities cover a central role in current society with the condition of bringing a positive effect on human, civil and cultural growth of the entire public, at the same time enabling an adequate integration of individuals in the working world, the Association promotes a Policy for Quality compliant with ISO 9001:2000 regulations, in addition to being a Saforet accredited institution.

In the sphere of such a quality system, Palazzo Spinelli periodically collects reports on the satisfaction of the participants in the courses; the reports indicate an expectation/actual supplied service ratio of full satisfaction, in no fewer than 96% of those interviewed (data from February 2003-February 2006).

Significantly, during the same period of time, the percentage of foreign students participating in the masters programs offered by the Association was equal to 48%. These presences, joining those of the Italian students coming from diverse geographic, cultural, and professional backgrounds, help make Palazzo Spinelli a stimulating and dialectic place of contrast and exchange of life experiences.
We are sure that there true cultural promotion can only exist in those places where there is a rich legacy of human relationships supporting its basis.