CULTURAL ASSOCIATION
Preserving the memory of collecting.
Shaping its future.
ALBA — Archive of Games and Fine Arts preserves, documents and enhances collectible and play-related objects as part of a shared cultural heritage.
Trading cards, video games, illustration, memorabilia, promotional materials and thematic archives enter a structured process of cataloguing, research, exhibition and public access.
MISSION
Preservation is not enough.
Meaning must also be created.
ALBA interprets play-related objects as visual, cultural and generational records. Each item becomes part of a broader narrative in which archives, light, history and audiences enter into dialogue.
Preserve
Safeguard the material integrity and memory of each object over time.
Document
Record images, data, provenance, condition and cultural context.
Interpret
Reveal the aesthetic, narrative and historical value of each item.
Exhibit
Transform the archive into an accessible and immersive public experience.
Transmit
Share knowledge, memory and culture with future generations.
COLLECTION AREAS
An archive open to the many languages of collecting.
ALBA may accept objects and records from different areas of play, art and culture, provided they are consistent with the association’s mission.
Trading cards and collectible games
TCGs, historical cards, promotional issues, thematic sets, game materials and related archives.
Video games and hardware
Software, consoles, peripherals, special editions, prototypes and documentation.
Illustration and publishing
Art books, prints, sketches, manuals, magazines and promotional materials.
Play and popular-culture memorabilia
Statues, merchandise, displays and material records connected to popular culture.
Numismatics and philately
Coins, stamps, commemorative issues and special reflective media.
Documentary archives
Letters, certificates, packaging, photographs, catalogues and provenance materials.
Individual objects
Cards, video games, books, memorabilia and other objects of particular interest.
Complete collections
Coherent groups connected to an artist, franchise, period or technology.
Documentary materials
Letters, certificates, catalogues, photographs, packaging and provenance records.
Equipment and archival supplies
Tools and materials for cataloguing, preservation, acquisition and exhibition.
Financial contributions
Support for projects, exhibitions, archival materials and cultural activities.
Professional expertise
Technical, scientific, legal, exhibition and communications expertise.
ACQUISITION PROCESS
What happens after a donation proposal.
The accession of an item follows a transparent and documented process proportionate to the nature of the material.
Assessment
Relevance, condition, provenance and long-term sustainability.
Acceptance
Transfer arrangements and any formally agreed conditions.
Cataloguing
Data, identifiers, images and archival references.
Documentation
Records, photographs, video and supporting documentation.
Preservation
Storage systems and procedures suited to the nature of the object.
Public interpretation
Research, publications, exhibitions or digital experiences.
OUR COMMITMENT TO DONORS
Transparency, respect and responsible stewardship.
Acceptance does not automatically imply permanent display or immediate publication. ALBA nevertheless commits to managing each acquisition according to clear, responsible and documented criteria.
Traceable provenance and accession records.
Respect for any formally agreed conditions.
Preservation compatibile con natura e stato del bene.
Donor acknowledgement where requested and appropriate.
Assessment responsabile di utilizzo, studio ed esposizione.
ACTIVITIES
ALBA’s operational pillars.
The association is building a cultural framework designed to grow through archival work, research, exhibitions and collaboration.
Archive
Cataloguing, preservazione, provenienza e documentazione strutturata.
Visual laboratory
Study of light, surfaces, finishes and material behaviour.
Exhibitions and events
Modular displays, interpretation, QR codes and interactive pathways.
Public access
A shared language connecting collectors, audiences, schools and institutions.
Partnerships
Collaboration with technical, cultural and exhibition partners.
Innovation
Connecting physical objects, digital archives and new forms of experience.
DEVELOPMENT
From foundation to cultural network.
ALBA is developing in stages: first consolidating its structure, then expanding its collections, relationships and public programmes.
Foundation
Establishment of the association, identity, mission and cultural model.
Building the archive
Cataloguing dei primi nuclei, protocolli e presenza digitale.
First exhibition
Bringing the archive into physical space through a pilot exhibition.
Partner network
Collaboration with venues, technology providers, professionals and cultural organisations.
Acquisitions and donations
Expanding the collection through selected objects and archives.
Future exhibitions and the Stable
New exhibition formats and the development of a permanent physical framework.
ECOSYSTEM
Four instruments. One shared vision.
Association and cultural mission
Safeguards the mission, collection and relationship with the public.
Archive e piattaforma narrativa
Organises, interprets and provides access to collections and projects.
Optical documentation protocol
Studies light, surfaces and the visual behaviour of materials.
Experience between physical and digital
Transforms documentation into an interactive environment.
VISION
Not simply a collection.
A visual renewal.
ALBA gives public form to what often remains unseen: the cultural, aesthetic and narrative value of play-related objects. Every exhibition marks a passage from private preservation to shared access, from ownership to memory, and from object to story.
GET IN TOUCH
Donate, collaborate or host an ALBA project.
Describe the object, project or proposed collaboration and, where possible, include a brief summary and a small selection of images.
