AgriEuro is an agricultural machinery company in Spoleto that was born from the vision of Manlio Settimi, an entrepreneur who opened a farm and garden machinery store in the Umbrian city in the 1970s, soon to be recognized as a point of reference for professionals and enthusiasts in the Spoleto valley. His expertise became the foundation of an entrepreneurial path that placed quality and service at the center. On these values is grafted the development of AgriEuro, which in 2012 makes the international leap by opening dedicated sites in France, Germany, Spain and England. From 2017, the brand then established itself as a leader in Italy in the online sale of agricultural and gardening machinery, while in 2018 it inaugurated its new administrative headquarters in Spoleto, a symbol of an identity always linked to the territory. And this is why AgriEuro decides, after so many years of activity, to do something for the art of its city. In 2025, in fact, AgriEuro finances, through Art Bonus, the restoration of the Historic Curtain of the Teatro Nuovo "Gian Carlo Menotti,“ brought back to its original location after 25 years. Made by Francesco Coghetti in 1861 and depicting Hannibal’s defeat under the city walls, the work was in critical condition. The intervention, carried out by the restoration cooperative Coo.Be.C., stopped the conservation damage and returned to the community an asset of high identity value, awarded first place in the Art Bonus 2025 Competition in the category ”Cultural Assets and Places." An operation that marks AgriEuro’s commitment to linking its growth to the cultural heritage of the area. Alessia Settimi, COO AgriEuro, tells us about the operation.
NC. What prompted AgriEuro to support the restoration of the historic curtain of the Teatro Nuovo in Spoleto through the Art Bonus?
AS. For AgriEuro, supporting the restoration of the Historic Curtain of the Teatro Nuovo Gian Carlo Menotti in Spoleto was a choice that combined identity, values and social responsibility. Our desire was to leave a tangible and shared legacy, the pride of returning a cultural asset to the city and to the Teatro Nuovo Gian Carlo Menotti, the centerpiece of the Festival dei Due Mondi, which helped make Spoleto internationally known.
How did the connection with the area influence the decision to invest in this cultural project?
Our company operates internationally throughout Europe, but we are at the same time deeply connected to the city of Spoleto: this is where we have our roots, this is where we continue to build our present and our future every day. The project of contributing to the restoration of the Historic Curtain of the Teatro Nuovo won us over because it encompassed two fundamental elements for us: the preservation of cultural heritage and a concrete action toward our community. This intervention also reflects our deepest identity as a company that, while looking towards the future, innovation and technologies, with a young and dynamic team composed of 170 resources with an average age of 34, does not forget its roots and its connection with the territory.
Francesco Coghetti’s curtain is a work of great value to the city. How important is it for AgriEuro to contribute to the preservation of such significant cultural assets?
Contributing to the preservation of cultural heritage was a great honor but also a conscious choice, because we believe that businesses should contribute to creating value in the context in which they operate also through the preservation of cultural heritage. Our gesture represents a concrete way of being close to our community. The protection of cultural heritage is first and foremost an act of social responsibility towards the present and the future (and not only towards the past). It is a value in which we firmly believe. We believe that protecting cultural heritage reflects a model of attentive, present and pragmatic enterprise. The Curtain painted by Francesco Coghetti in 1861 is much more than a stage ornament, it is a symbol of identity, a work of art that tells a historical story that belongs to the memory of the city of Spoleto and pertains to the national Risorgimento artistic heritage.
What company values shine through in the decision to participate in a cultural patronage initiative such as the restoration of the Curtain?
The values that represent Agrieuro are: Responsibility, Passion, Care and Respect. Responsibility in restoring value to the territory that saw us born and grow; passion that we put into our daily work and that pushes us to take on increasingly challenging projects with enthusiasm; care for what surrounds us, from the products we sell to the attention we pay to the customers who choose us, to the care of our cultural heritage that surrounds us; and respect for our origins, our traditions, to be handed down to new generations as well. The intervention is an act of continuity, a sign destined to remain and bear witness to a concrete commitment over time.
The Art Bonus represents an innovative tool to involve private individuals in heritage conservation. How do you evaluate the opportunity from a business perspective?
The Art Bonus is a virtuous tool of public-private alliance that allows businesses to act in a direct way, providing real resources for the protection of the country’s cultural heritage; it is a form of modern patronage. In our case, the investment amounted to 130,000 euros and covered most of the costs of the intervention with a total value of 200,000 euros, an initiative carried out in collaboration with the City of Spoleto, which contributed 70,000 euros. An ambitious project, which led to the full recovery of a work of great historical, artistic and cultural value. The importance of the project was also confirmed by the first prize we won in the Art Bonus 2025 Competition, promoted by the Ministry of Culture. The restoration of the Sipario del Teatro Nuovo Gian Carlo Menotti, in fact, won first place, demonstrating great appreciation even at the national level. To this award the ministry will dedicate an event intended to further spread awareness of the Art Bonus tool.
Do you believe that an operation like this can strengthen the relationship between business and the local community? And in what way?
Absolutely yes, a tangible and visible gesture, the choice to invest in non-ephemeral values has a power beyond words. The community perceives the enterprise’s commitment as a choice that looks to the common good. And it is precisely in this dimension that the relationship is strengthened: in mutual trust, in a sense of belonging, in the recognition of an active and responsible role in an area like ours where relationships count and last over time.
AgriEuro operates on a national and European level. Do you think that the valorization of Italian culture can also represent an identity message towards the outside world?
Yes, we believe that the valorization of Italian culture represents to all intents and purposes a strong and distinctive identity message, especially toward foreign countries. Italy is universally recognized for its artistic, historical and cultural heritage: elements that not only tell us, but also uniquely qualify us in the eyes of the world. In this sense, supporting a project such as the restoration of the curtain of the Teatro Nuovo Gian Carlo Menotti was also a way to enhance a national identity: that of a country that has in artistic beauty, creativity and historical memory some of its most recognizable traits thanks to an artistic heritage that remains one of the main ambassadors of our country in the world.
Do you have other patronage interventions planned or do you already support other Art Bonus projects related to art and heritage?
The experience of the restoration of the Sipario gave us much more than we imagined: the path shared with the city (in addition to the final result), the sense of participation that involved institutions, citizens and our own team. It was a concrete demonstration that a company can positively affect the cultural life of an area. Therefore, we are carefully considering other initiatives that meet the same criteria: artistic and historical value, real impact on the territory, and ability to create authentic ties with the community. We believe that cultural patronage should not be an isolated gesture: rather, we think it should become part of the way of doing business.
Now that the restored curtain is back in view, what significance does it have for AgriEuro to actually see the result of the intervention?
Knowing that the curtain will return to welcome new stories, new emotions and new evenings at the theater fills us with pride. It is proof that a gesture of caring for cultural heritage can become a living part of community life. Many thanks to the entire Agrieuro team for making this possible!
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