Corporate patronage
The complex relations between production and culture organisations are analysed in a thesis debated at the University of Padua
Enterprises and culture, entrepreneurs caring for more than just profit, and factories as sites that no longer stand merely for production, struggle and labour, but much more – in other words, corporate patronage, the latest evolution of good production culture, where enterprises stands beside artists and art exhibitions: a phenomenon to be explored and developed. This is why reading “Mecenatismo industriale dall’800 a oggi. Il caso Veneto tra identità storica e comunicazione presente” (“Industrial patronage from the 19th century to today. The Venetian case, amid historic identity and present communication”), is worth reading – a thesis debated by Luca Turato as part of the Master’s in Communication Strategies programme at the University of Padua.
The research work unravels from a question: the concept of patronage has been tied, for a long time, to the relationship between patron and artist, but what happens when enterprises becomes patrons? It then continues by pointing out that – unlike traditional patronage – the relation between enterprise and culture offers several nuances that make for “an interesting research study for the understanding of the terms and purposes of such relationships”.
Thus, Turato begins his work with a historical summary of the relationships between patron and artist, before moving on to an exploration of industrial patronage from the 19th century to today. He then considers the present circumstances of this phenomenon, scrutinising “the cultural industry”, non-profit experiences, the role of grants and that of corporate museums.
Another research layer, explains the author, is then integrated through the analysis of a specific case study – that of Venetian enterprises – based on specific research undertaken by a monitoring body set up by Confindustria Veneto, which carried out a census of industrial patronage in 2016 and in 2022.
Turato’s conclusions are quite enlightening: enterprises that get closer to culture may do so not only for ethical and moral reasons, but also to give concrete form to their social responsibility towards the regions, which can then become the foundation of new relationships between production and social systems.
Mecenatismo industriale dall’800 a oggi. Il caso Veneto tra identità storica e comunicazione presente (“Industrial patronage from the 19th century to today. The Venetian case, amid historic identity and present communication”)
Luca Turato
Thesis, University of Padua, Department of Linguistic and Literary Studies, Department of Historical, Geographical and Ancient Studies, Master’s in Communication Strategies, 2023
The complex relations between production and culture organisations are analysed in a thesis debated at the University of Padua
Enterprises and culture, entrepreneurs caring for more than just profit, and factories as sites that no longer stand merely for production, struggle and labour, but much more – in other words, corporate patronage, the latest evolution of good production culture, where enterprises stands beside artists and art exhibitions: a phenomenon to be explored and developed. This is why reading “Mecenatismo industriale dall’800 a oggi. Il caso Veneto tra identità storica e comunicazione presente” (“Industrial patronage from the 19th century to today. The Venetian case, amid historic identity and present communication”), is worth reading – a thesis debated by Luca Turato as part of the Master’s in Communication Strategies programme at the University of Padua.
The research work unravels from a question: the concept of patronage has been tied, for a long time, to the relationship between patron and artist, but what happens when enterprises becomes patrons? It then continues by pointing out that – unlike traditional patronage – the relation between enterprise and culture offers several nuances that make for “an interesting research study for the understanding of the terms and purposes of such relationships”.
Thus, Turato begins his work with a historical summary of the relationships between patron and artist, before moving on to an exploration of industrial patronage from the 19th century to today. He then considers the present circumstances of this phenomenon, scrutinising “the cultural industry”, non-profit experiences, the role of grants and that of corporate museums.
Another research layer, explains the author, is then integrated through the analysis of a specific case study – that of Venetian enterprises – based on specific research undertaken by a monitoring body set up by Confindustria Veneto, which carried out a census of industrial patronage in 2016 and in 2022.
Turato’s conclusions are quite enlightening: enterprises that get closer to culture may do so not only for ethical and moral reasons, but also to give concrete form to their social responsibility towards the regions, which can then become the foundation of new relationships between production and social systems.
Mecenatismo industriale dall’800 a oggi. Il caso Veneto tra identità storica e comunicazione presente (“Industrial patronage from the 19th century to today. The Venetian case, amid historic identity and present communication”)
Luca Turato
Thesis, University of Padua, Department of Linguistic and Literary Studies, Department of Historical, Geographical and Ancient Studies, Master’s in Communication Strategies, 2023