PORTOFRANCO: New Contemporary Art Center Opens in Castelfranco Veneto's Historic Palazzo Soranzo Novello

On November 14, 2025, the new contemporary art center PORTOFRANCO opened in Castelfranco Veneto, housed in the historic Palazzo Soranzo Novello. Directed by curator Rossella Farinotti, the inaugural exhibition features 23 national and international artists exploring the theme of the double—tension between reality and imagination, memory and the present. The palazzo, originally built by the Soranzo family in the 14th century and later expanded by the Novello family in the 18th century, has a layered history as a noble residence, bank, and now an art space. The exhibition, on view until February 14, 2026, includes works by Vincenzo Agnetti, Maurizio Cattelan, Duane Hanson, and others, with site-specific interventions engaging the building's architecture. The project was initiated by Daniele Costa and Lisa Rebellato with the city administration. PORTOFRANCO also extends to Museo Casa Giorgione with sculptures by Alice Ronchi and includes a public program of talks, performances, workshops, artist residencies, and collaborations with local artisans.