The Dena Foundation for Contemporary Art was founded in 2001 thanks to the passion for Contemporary art of collectors and patrons Giuliana and Tommaso Setari. Starting with the fundamental goal of supporting emerging as well as established artists, over the years, the Foundation has differentiated its action in the field of contemporary art through the conception, implementation, and promotion of various projects: the Artist and Curator Residency Program at the Centre International d’Accueil et d’Echanges des Récollets, Paris, and at Art Omi International Artists Residency – Omi International Arts Center, New York; the Dena Foundation Art Award, dedicated to the celebration of artworks in public space; the annual Janus Summer Symposium at the LeWitt Foundation in Praiano, Salerno, Italy; meetings, panel discussions and visits to artists’ studios; the creation of group exhibitions in collaboration with public and private institutions; support for the realization of solo exhibitions in museums and at international events.
The Archive collects the documentation of numerous artists, curators, and personalities from the world of culture who, over the years, have contributed to the activities of the Dena Foundation, thus recording the articulated network of relationships activated for each project. The Archive was the subject of the exhibition CRRI / The Dena Archives held at the Castello di Rivoli in 2019–2020.