C.S.A.C.

C.S.A.C. (Centro Studi e Archivio della Comunicazione). A research center and archive at the University of Parma. It was conceived at the Institute of Art History directed by Carlo Arturo Quintavalle in the late 1960s. The purpose was to create an art Collection on the model of American universities, on the basis of donations of complete archives suitable for illustrating the creative process of the artist and not only the final masterpiece. The initiative was successful. Quintavalle convinced many architects, many designers from Milan, and many stylists to donate their archives. The Collection is divided into 5 sections. The Project section includes a Collection of 70,000 fashion sketches and a large number of clothes. The Walter Albini unit is particularly important, together with that of the illustrator Brunetta. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Center collected materials from the most important Italian griffes of the 20^th century. The archives can be consulted by scholars and by students with a letter of introduction. The catalogue will soon be available on the Internet. There are exhibitions, seminars, and courses, as well as a publishing program. From its current headquarters in the Nervi Pavilion of Parma, the center will soon move to the Certosa of Valserena.