Legal foundations
After a long planning phase, Chorus was formerly set up by public act in June 1997 as a non-profit association with, as its first members, the priests and rectors of the 13 churches initially taking part in the project.
Following an application made on 27 August 1997, the Association was registered in the Register of Associations recognised by Venice City Council with registration number 1595.
On 23 December 1999, with decree number 60/13300-D, the Veneto Region in turn recognised the Association as a legal entity in accordance with the Italian Civil Code.
In 2000, the Cassa di Risparmio di Venezia Foundation joined the Association, followed by a number of other lay members representing secular society, bringing the total membership to the present 19.

The project and its implementation
The project involves creating a network of 16 of Venice's most important monumental churches, containing a heritage of more than 1000 works of art, fundamental for all those wanting to learn about the history and art of the lagoon city.
The basic concept behind the Association's project is that of an "area museum", a term covering the personnel involved in managing the historical and artistic heritage of Venice's churches and application of the most up-to-date theories and practices for the conservation and valorisation of a monumental heritage spread throughout an area.
All the Association's decisions are based on the concept of "conservation through utilisation", recognising that it is equally important to offer a response to the growing demand from visitors wanting to benefit from the heritage represented and preserved in Venice's most important monumental churches and to establish a self-financing mechanism able to ensure that this demand translates into a resource to be allocated to the maintenance, conservation and valorisation of this heritage.

Introduction to the project
Below are a number of texts taken from documents of various origins which together effectively express the demand which Chorus attempts to satisfy and the ideology forming the basis of its cultural project.