The Associazione Rifugio Digitale, founded in 2022 and legally represented by architect Laura Andreini, is a non-profit Third Sector Organisation that pursues civic, solidarity and social utility goals, as well as the protection and preservation of collective cultural, artistic, educational… and social development assets, with the aim of creating programmes and contexts in which the promotion and dissemination of art and culture find an organic response in harmony with other realities and initiatives in the area. Specifically, its statutory purposes include the organisation and management of artistic activities, including publishing, the promotion and dissemination of culture, the promotion of events aimed at enhancing all forms of art, especially – but not exclusively – in the fields of photography, architecture, publishing, cinema and historical re-enactment, as well as installations and the use of new technologies applied to the world of art. In January 2025, the Founding Members decided to transform the Association into a Third Sector Entity pursuant to Legislative Decree 117/2017 and subsequent amendments and additions, obtaining regular registration in the Single Register of the Third Sector (RUNTS). The acquisition of this legal status allows all those who wish to become supporters of the Association to obtain significant tax benefits.

Training and research form the foundational pillars underpinning the conception and evolution of the project. The work of the Association represents a unique opportunity to inform and educate the public about the latest trends and research in the field of… Digital Art. Through its activities, the digital gallery contributes to raising awareness of digital-related themes and enriching the cultural debate on both a national and international level. With the creation of Rifugio Digitale in Florence, a previously forgotten space has been returned to the local community and to tourists—now accessible to all, free of charge—and transformed into an exhibition environment where the fusion of art and technology creates an engaging, surprising, and interactive experience. The 165-square-meter space is versatile and dedicated not only to hosting exhibitions but also to organizing debates and talks aimed at a wide-ranging audience eager to discover a place of cultural exchange and learning in the heart of Florence. In its first year of activity, Rifugio Digitale hosted internationally renowned artists, including Fabrizio Plessi, Roberto Di Caro, Luca Locatelli, Charlotte Dumas, Franco Ionda, Matthieu Gafsou, and Piero Percoco. The exhibited works—dynamic, static, physical, and digital—each established a unique dialogue with the tunnel, guiding visitors through an immersive experience. The distinctiveness of the artworks merged into a continuous narrative generated by the succession of screens, creating an enveloping experience for the viewer. This spatial characteristic, with its rhythmic sequence of monitors, has inspired some artists to create site-specific works, such as Oro by Fabrizio Plessi or Tormento e Luce by Franco Ionda. Rifugio Digitale is also dedicated to children and young people, especially schools, playing a key role in the dissemination of historical and artistic knowledge and in the promotion of cultural value. Notably, given that the legal and operational headquarters are located inside an air-raid shelter from the Second World War –later reclaimed – the organization offers guided tours for historical reenactment of the site’s architecture, as well as explanatory visits related to the exhibitions.