XNL Piacenza is the centre for the development of new contemporary languages created by the Fondazione di Piacenza e Vigevano and opened in 2020.

In 2022, after a long break due to the pandemic, XNL resumed its activity offering the public a place where art, cinema, theatre, and music coexist.

The mission of the institution is the transmission and diffusion of knowledge.

The idea is to create a new space for cultural expression and innovation, where the exhibition and enjoyment of art is accompanied by research and by the creation of aesthetic content.

XNL Piacenza is organised in three sections.

Art Director: Paola Nicolin

The space for exhibition projects, where art and education interact.

Art Director: Paola Pedrazzini

XNL hosts Bottega XNL, the higher-education project for cinema and theatre created by the Foundation “Fare Cinema” and Veleia Ancient Theatre Festival.

Art Director: Maria Grazia Petrali

XNL Piacenza will soon become home to the Department of Contemporary and Jazz Music of Piacenza Conservatory of Music “Giuseppe Nicolini”.

XNL is in the historic centre of Piacenza, in the proximity of two theatres (Municipale and Filodrammatici), the Conservatory of Music “Giuseppe Nicolini”, and the Art Galley “Ricci Oddi”, and acts as a connection point for the various experiences and languages used by art to read the present and imagine the future.

XNL is the contraction of consonants for “Ex-Enel”. When the Foundation of Piacenza and Vigevano acquired the building in the early 2000s, people referred to it by this name because it used to house the offices of the Italian National Energy Authority (ENEL).

Built in 1907 to house a folding-carton plant and a lithography, in 1919 the edifice was acquired by the Italian Federation of Agrarian Consortia, extensively renovated, and given its present appearance. The renovation project was signed by Guido Tirelli, an engineer and architect from Reggio Emilia, while the decoration was commissioned to a group of contemporary artists including the local painter Luciano Ricchetti, author of the allegorical paintings you can admire in the staircase.

In the 30s, the Federation moved to Rome and the building was purchased by Brioschi Electricity Company, which subsequently became Emiliana Electricity Company and, in the early 60s, was merged into ENEL. XNL building served as administrative offices for ENEL until the 90s, when it was bought by an investment fund. At the beginning of the new century, the building was eventually acquired by the Foundation of Piacenza and Vigevano.

The renovation

The renovation project was curated by the Milan Polytechnic (Mantua Campus) in close collaboration with the Superintendency for Artistic and Architectural Heritage of Parma and Piacenza.