A rust-coloured parallelepiped, covered in weathering steel, simple and severe, arises in the city of Foligno, in Via del Campanile 13: this is CIAC Centro Italiano Arte Contemporanea, Italian Contemporary Art Centre.

Formerly used as the central dairy and then as a Post Office, the museum was established in 2009 thanks to the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Foligno, as a response to the growing contemporary artistic research in the city, to promote and disseminate contemporary Italian and international art.

The museum architecture was proposed by Getulio Alviani in collaboration with architect Zamatti and was later realized by architect Partenzi.

Devoid of windows, it is spread over three floors and takes light from a central skylight placed on pillars that punctuate the interior volume. The exhibition rooms are arranged on two floors. The terrace houses specific-site works. The ground-floor spaces are used as exhibition and meeting place for cultural events, screenings, lectures.

The installations bring new visitors closer to the contemporary, inviting a slow consumption of the artworks.

A few steps from this iconic and markedly contemporary building is CIAC’s second hub: the 18th-century former Church of the Holy Trinity in Annunziata. After years of restoration, the complex was inaugurated in 2011 and used as CIAC’s second museum venue, as a monographic museum dedicated to Gino De Dominicis' striking masterpiece Calamita Cosmica. In addition to the work, visitors can study a comprehensive and rigorous documentary-didactic display on the artist and the work, and an auditorium seating more than 80 for seminars and conferences organized by the Centre.

Today, CIAC undertakes activities in several directions: organization of exhibitions; preservation and development of a permanent collection of contemporary art; production of cultural events and conferences; educational service aimed at schools and social groups; publishing activities and general awareness of contemporary art.