Nuova Icona is a non profit cultural association, founded by a group of private individuals in Venice in 1993, dedicated to the support and promotion of contemporary visual arts. The association helps artists in developing their projects; welcomes and seeks collaboration and sponsorship, either to link the artists’ project to the community, either to fund them. With an experimental attitude in contemporary art, Nuova Icona views itself as the organizative element, the active layer between the public and the artist, a workshop where new projects can be realized.

Under the management of Vittorio Urbani, since 1993 Nuova Icona has mounted over 200 exhibitions, most of which were of national and international relevance.

Venues change according the size and character of the project, but the association runs with continuity the San Ludovico Oratory.

Amongst the past exhibitions are: “Host”, Heather Ackroyd, Pierre d'Avoine, Daniel Harvey, 1996, “Forma”, Paolo Canevari, 1996, “Lettere disegnate”, Jean Tinguely, 1997; “Tar Babies of the New World Order”, Robert Morris, 1997; “Feature Film”, projection at Cinema Giorgione, Douglas Gordon, 1999; “Marking Time”, Terry Smith, 1999; "Renée Cox & Victor Matthews", 1999; “Cul - de –Sac”, Charles Mason, 2000; “Archivio”, Flavio Favelli, 2000; “Pala per l’Oratorio di San Ludovico”, Maria Morganti, 2000; “ins blaue”, Marie van Leeuwen Johan Wagenaar, 2001; “The deliverance and the patience”, Mike Nelson, 2001; “Kent Floeter”, 2001; “Fonte”, Alistair Wilson, 2002; “heat”, Cecily Brennan, 2002; “Where we come from”, Emily Jacir, 2004; “Ezra Pound’s Cage”, Hans Winkler, 2007; “The Most Beautiful Woman in Gucha”, Breda Beban, 2007; “Waters that Tie/Waters that untie”, Handan Börüteçene, 2007; “Marble Clouds”, Roberto De Pol, 2009; “Fabio Mauri”, 2009; “Tutulma (Eclisse)”, Daniele Pezzi, 2011; “Shikinen Sengῡ”, Gaia Fugazza, 2013; Play God, Andrea Morucchio, 2014.

Since 1995 Nuova Icona has organized – in the position of Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner – in collaboration with the Curators and National Authorities, the national official participations of Ireland in Venice Biennale for many years; it has since collaborated with Turkey (Biennale 2001, 2003, 05), Scotland (2003), Bulgaria (Architectural Biennial 2008), India (Collateral Exhibition, 2005), Finland (2005), Azerbaijan (2007, 09, 11), Lebanon (2007), Wales (2003, 05, 07, 09), Palestine (2009), Iraq (2011, 2013) and Central Asian Republics (2009).

In the last few years, a growing wealth of working contacts with the East (Turkey, Georgia, Iraq, Armenia, Lebanon, Palestine and Azerbaijan) has been source of a new strategy. Reconsidering the centuries-old Venetian tradition of commerce and diplomatic relationships with the Middle East, Nuova Icona is interested in going further in this direction, favouring the growth of new working links between Europe and the M.E. through the traditional gate, Venice.

Nuova Icona stands as an independent but accomplished cultural entity. At over 20 years of age, Nuova Icona brings the contradiction of being together the oldest not for profit cultural organization dedicated to contemporary visual art in Venice and a 20 year old individuality capable of fresh and critical approach to the international art scene.