This Prado Museum program is designed to rotate works from its artist collections and Spanish Valencian-themed holdings to support temporary exhibitions across international venues and community art spaces. The initiative aims to broaden exposure for key pieces while maintaining the integrity of the museum’s core collection. By coordinating with partner galleries, the Prado can showcase a wider range of its holdings and offer audiences new ways to engage with the nation’s artistic heritage.
The plan received formal support from the Generalitat Valenciana, represented by President Ximo Puig, and from the Prado Museum’s director, Miguel Falomir, during a meeting held in Madrid to explore avenues for expanding the presence of the national museum’s collection within Valencian Community institutions. This high-level discussion signals a shared commitment to elevating cultural exchange and leveraging institutional strengths to reach diverse publics.
Under the proposed framework, the Generalitat Valenciana would sign an overarching agreement to transfer a portion of the approximately 3,000 paintings stored in the Prado’s reserves or currently part of traveling exhibitions in Spain to affiliated or Generalitat-managed networks through the Consortium of Museums. The arrangement would enable access for prominent venues such as the Fine Arts Museums in Valencia, Alicante, and Castellón, as well as the Centre del Carme, ensuring a broad distribution of important works across the region while preserving the long-term care and security of the pieces involved.
In addition, the Prado’s donation plan emphasizes works that connect to Valencian authors and themes across historical periods, ranging from the Gothic era to the early 20th century. Some items will be selected for their direct ties to the Valencian Community, providing audiences with a deeper, context-rich view of local artistic production and its influence on national art history.
As President Puig stated, the collaboration will enrich the exhibition program while promoting broader awareness of Prado collections that are not currently on permanent display. This approach supports thoughtful curation, public access, and ongoing scholarship by offering fresh interpretive contexts for familiar pieces and introducing lesser-known works to new viewers.
The Generalitat leadership described the meeting as highly productive and expressed openness to renewed, sustained collaboration with the Prado Museum. The goal is to reactivate and strengthen ties through these collaborative models, which align with the Prado National Museum Action Plan 2022-2025. The plan seeks to raise the visual profile of the collection across Spain and foster stronger partnerships that benefit regional museums and national cultural institutions alike.
Valencia’s cultural leadership also highlighted the enduring value of the Valencia Museum of Fine Arts as a major national asset. By pursuing greater visibility and greater autonomy for this state-supported center, the institutions aim to enhance its role within the cultural ecosystem, ensuring continued fidelity to public access, conservation standards, and scholarly activity across the country.