مؤسسة هورتنسيا هيريرو في طليعة النهضة الثقافية في فالنسيا...

In the heart of Valencia, where medieval artisans once shaped the city’s cultural identity, a remarkable transformation is underway. The Hortensia Herrero Foundation, established in 2012, breathes new life into century-old monuments while positioning Valencia as a contemporary art destination worthy of international renown.

A personal mission made public

The story begins with Hortensia Herrero herself, vice president and partial owner of one of the largest grocery chains in Spain. Her collecting passion has evolved into something much more ambitious: a global vision of a cultural revival that touches every corner of Valencian society, from children with special needs practicing ballet to tourists discovering world-class contemporary art in a meticulously restored 17th-century palace.

What distinguishes the Hortensia Herrero Foundation many cultural institutions is its deeply personal nature. As the Foundation’s sole patron, Herrero channels his philanthropic vision through three carefully chosen pillars: the restoration of artistic and cultural heritage, dance and contemporary art. This trinity reflects not only strategic planning, but also a true passion for sharing transformative cultural experiences with society.

“The ultimate goal is always to bring art and culture closer to the public and to contribute to making Valencia a cultural benchmark,” says the Foundation, but this modest statement underestimates the scale of what has been achieved in just over a decade. It also depicts a model Herrero met when he visited Dallas in 2013 for the opening of “Sorolla and America.” There, she witnessed the transformative power of giving back to society what it gave you.

The crown jewel: a palace of paradoxes

The Hortensia Herrero Art Center (CAHH)which opened in 2023, illustrates the Foundation’s ability to weave the past and present in a way that is both surprising and inevitable. The transformation of the crumbling Palacio Valeriola into a 3,500 square meter, €40 million contemporary art space took more than five years. Yet the real wonder lies in what was discovered along the way.

As ERRE Arquitectura, the Valencia studio led by Amparo Roig and José Martí, Herrero’s daughter, began work, they unearthed layer after layer of history: remains of a Roman circus with the skull of a sacrificed horse, an 11th-century Islamic patio with an eight-pointed fountain, a medieval oven containing fish bones and shells eggs, and traces of the old Jewish Quarter. Rather than treating these treasures as obstacles or isolating them in separate exhibitions, they created a fluid dialogue between the eras.

This archaeological reinscription became the basis of a contemporary art center. Inside, Mat Collishaw’s LED installation features the real remains of the Roman circus, representing galloping horses. Jaume Plensa’s steel alphabets create a second skin that celebrates linguistic diversity on ancient walls. Next to it, Tomás Saraceno’s colorful glass clouds cast a rainbow of light onto centuries-old bricks.

Build a collection, build relationships

The art collection itself represents years of careful cultivation. Working with advisor Javier Molins, Herrero brought together works by international heavyweights including Anselm Kiefer, Georg Baselitz, David Hockney, Olafur Eliasson and Anish Kapoor. However, this was not simply an acquisition for acquisition’s sake. Many artists were commissioned to create site-specific works that directly respond to the unique character of the palace.

Sean Scully transformed the old chapel with stained glass windows and contemplative paintings that dialogue with the original ceiling frescoes by 19th-century Valencian painter Juan Sorolla and his students. The top floor, once an attic for drying clothes and food, now houses works by Tony Cragg and El Anatsui. Original drawings and writings from the 17th century still hang on the walls, contributing to a narrative that spans millennia.

The international art world has taken notice. In 2024, the New York Times selected the Art Center as one of 52 places to visit in the world and the only Spanish destination on the list. This approval came just months after the opening, validating Herrero’s vision that Valencians should not have to travel to Paris, New York or London to experience cutting-edge contemporary art.

Beyond the palace walls

While the Art Center grabs the headlines, the Foundation’s broader restoration work has quietly transformed Valencia’s cultural landscape. The Church of San Nicolás, today known as the “Sistine Chapel” of Valencia for its spectacular baroque frescoes, attracts visitors from all over the world. The Silk Museum preserves the city’s textile heritage. The ongoing restoration of Santos Juanes Church, with its important Palomino frescoes, promises another jewel in Valencia’s cultural crown when it is completed in 2025.

These projects share a notable common thread: sustainability. Each restoration is designed not only to preserve the past, but also to generate resources for its own maintenance while boosting employment and attracting deep tourism. The numbers speak for themselves: more than 200,000 visitors to the Art Center in the first year alone, and more than 30,000 international tourists added it to their must-see lists alongside Valencia Cathedral and the City of Arts and Sciences.

Dance as social transformation

The Foundation’s commitment to dance reveals another dimension of its social impact. The Valencia International Dance Campus, which is in its 15th edition, has become a summer meeting place bringing together dancers from all over the world. But perhaps most touching is the Ballet Vale+ program, led by Esther Mortes, where children with cerebral palsy practice ballet to improve their motor skills – a perfect embodiment of how high culture can address deep social needs.

At the same time, school visits to the Art Center introduce children to their first encounters with contemporary art. “Seeing children experience their first contact with art, sculpture and painting is truly rewarding,” notes the Foundation.

A model for the future

What makes the Hortensia Herrero Foundation particularly interesting is its hybrid nature. Intensely personal but professionally executed, locally rooted but internationally ambitious, historically grounded but contemporary in its outlook. It represents a new model of cultural philanthropy where private passion serves the public good without losing its distinctive character.

As Herrero herself says, the greatest satisfaction comes “when Valencians can enjoy art and culture.”