The Contemporary Art Center of Siena, founded in 1998, carried out its activities for a decade at Palazzo delle Papesse, renaissance residence of the Piccolomini family, from whom it took the first name, which later became - with the final transfer to Santa Maria della Scala in June 2008 - SMS Contemporanea.
Since its establishment, the Center has defined its main objective the study, dissemination and promotion of contemporary art.
The exhibitions, over the years, unfolded alternating collective shows featuring historical artists (Contrappunti Burri, Bacon, Beuys, Zero. 1958-1968 between Germany and Italy) or themes (Identità&Nomadismo; Good Vibrations. Le arti visive e il Rock; System Error; Numerica) and solo exhibitions of some of the most representative international artists of different generations like Barbara Kruger, Annette Messager, Christian Boltanski, Jaume Plensa, Carlos Garaicoa, Anya Gallaccio, Elisa Sighicelli, Nari Ward, Leonardo Drew, Gordon Matta-Clark.
Due to the tight turn of events offered, SMS Contemporanea wants to follow the natural course of the latest developments and trends in art dwelling on some phenomenon or personality that can help summarize and clarify these pathways.
Among the many works commissioned and produced by the Center, a few are, by the will of the artists, in the permanent collection, at the time in storage. Olivo Barbieri, Elger Esser, Carlos Garaicoa, Alfredo Jaar, Judy Linn, Mimmo Paladino, Sergio Prego, Medhat Shafik, Elisa and Dan Steinhilber Sighicelli are among the artists in the collection.
Opened to experimentation and to a multidisciplinary approach - so as to have promoted over the years Radio Papesse 2005-2008, the first radio station established in a museum in Europe - SMS Contemporanea regularly organizes conferences, lectures, dance and theater companies’ shows, concerts and performances.
The Center also plays an intense publishing activity, with catalogues, essays, periodicals, guides e art books.
All editions are characterized by the search for themes, views and analysis on the phenomena of creating original art and contemporary culture in general.
Volumes, produced together with some of the most active and specialized Italian publishers, has been joined, since 2007, by the recording series 21st Records, produced in collaboration with the label Horus Music.