In the heart of Valencia, where medieval artisans once shaped the city’s cultural identity, a profound transformation is taking place. The Hortensia Herrero Foundation, established in 2012, has been revitalizing historic monuments and positioning Valencia as a world-class hub for contemporary art and culture. By blending heritage preservation with innovative artistic programming, the Foundation has helped Valencia reclaim its status as a city where history and modernity coexist in harmony.
A Personal Vision with Public Impact
The story begins with Hortensia Herrero, vice president and part-owner of one of Spain’s largest grocery chains. What started as a personal passion for art has evolved into a comprehensive mission: to bring transformative cultural experiences to all segments of Valencian society. From children with special needs participating in ballet to international visitors exploring contemporary art in meticulously restored historic sites, Herrero’s vision reaches across generations.
What sets the Foundation apart is its deeply personal approach. As the sole patron, Herrero channels her efforts into three key pillars:
- Restoration of artistic and cultural heritage
- Promotion of dance and performing arts
- Support for contemporary art
This approach is not merely strategic—it reflects a profound desire to make art and culture accessible, meaningful, and socially impactful.
Palacio Valeriola: A Jewel of Contrasts
The crown jewel of the Foundation’s work is the Hortensia Herrero Art Centre (CAHH), opened in 2023 in the restored Palacio Valeriola. The €40 million renovation transformed a ruined 17th-century palace into a 3,500-square-meter contemporary art space over five years.
During restoration, unexpected historical treasures were uncovered: remnants of a Roman circus with horse skulls, an 11th-century Islamic patio, a medieval oven containing fish bones and eggshells, and traces of Valencia’s historic Jewish quarter. Instead of isolating these finds, the architects integrated them into the space, creating a dialogue between past and present.
Inside, contemporary installations amplify this historical layering:
- Mat Collishaw’s LED artwork echoes the Roman circus remains with galloping horses.
- Jaume Plensa’s steel alphabets wrap around ancient walls, celebrating language and culture.
- Tomás Saraceno’s colored glass clouds scatter rainbow light over centuries-old brick.
The palace now hosts site-specific works by world-renowned artists including Olafur Eliasson, Anish Kapoor, David Hockney, Georg Baselitz, Tony Cragg, and El Anatsui. Even the old chapel was transformed by Sean Scully, whose stained-glass windows and paintings harmonize with original 19th-century frescoes by Juan Sorolla and his students.
Art as a Social and Educational Catalyst
The Foundation’s impact extends beyond galleries. Its commitment to dance as a tool for social transformation is evident in programs such as:
- Ballet Vale+, teaching ballet to children with cerebral palsy to improve motor skills.
- Valencia International Dance Campus, a global summer program bringing together dancers of all ages.
- School visits to CAHH, introducing children to contemporary art for the first time.
Herrero emphasizes that the most meaningful results come from witnessing Valencia’s citizens and visitors experience art in new ways.
Heritage Restoration Beyond the Art Centre
While the Art Centre garners global attention, the Foundation’s broader restoration efforts quietly reshape the city’s cultural landscape:
- Church of San Nicolás, known as Valencia’s “Sistine Chapel,” draws thousands for its baroque frescoes.
- Silk Museum, preserving centuries-old textile heritage.
- Church of Santos Juanes, with Palomino frescoes, set to reopen in 2025 as a cultural highlight.
Sustainability is central: restorations generate their own resources, create employment, and attract tourism. The numbers speak for themselves—over 200,000 visitors to CAHH in its first year, including 30,000 international tourists, placing the city alongside top cultural destinations in Europe.
A Model for Cultural Philanthropy
The Hortensia Herrero Foundation represents a hybrid model of philanthropy: intensely personal, professionally executed, locally grounded, and globally ambitious. It demonstrates how private passion can serve the public good while preserving authenticity and vision.
As Herrero herself notes, the ultimate reward is “seeing the people of Valencia enjoy art and culture,” a mission the Foundation has realized with extraordinary success in just over a decade.
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