Who we are

The Study Centre and Communication Archive (CSAC) is a research centre of the University of Parma founded in 1968 by Professor Arturo Carlo Quintavalle. Right from the start, it concentrated on assembling a collection of fine art, photography, architectural drawings, design, fashion and graphics, as well as organizing exhibitions and publishing catalogues.

Since 2007, it has been based at the Valserena Abbey, also known as the Charterhouse of Paradigna, just a few kilometres from Parma. It is divided into five sections – Fine Art, Photography, Media, Project, and Visual Arts – containing around 12 million single items.

Its institutional task is the collection, conservation, cataloguing and promotion of cultural heritage. In addition, it provides scientific consultancy to support teaching, research and design, and organizes exhibitions: to date, it has over 100 exhibitions and as many publications to its credit.

Further details

A little history Profile Image

A little history

The Abbey of San Martino dei Bocci or Valserena, also known as “The Charterhouse of Parma” with reference to the novel by Stendhal, is a Cistercian monastery founded under Pope Boniface VIII in 1298

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CSAC in numbers Profile Image

CSAC in numbers

5 sections (Arts, Media, Design, Photography, Entertainment), more than 1,700 paintings, 300 sculptures, 17,000 drawings by more than 100 artists…

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The Archive Profile Image

The Archive

The Archive, which is without equal in the world in both academic and extra academic circles, is currently seeing an innovative phase in its story…

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Mission Profile Image

Mission

CSAC (Centro Studi e Archivio della Comunicazione).

The CSAC is an Archive, a Museum and a Teaching and Research Centre of the University of Parma

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Contact us:

+39 0521 903652