For many years Gagliardi sold imported Italian furniture in London.[3] In 1978 he started the Gagliardi Gallery on the Kings Road in Chelsea;[12][13][14] and through it organised the "London Art Biennale" in 2013.[13][14] Wanting to start an art museum, he chose Chianciano Terme in Italy;[15] he bought 10 vacant shops in the town to be used for the Chianciano Expo.[16]
In 2021 he was accused by the council of Chianciano Terme of defamation for criticisms against the mayor.[17]
In 2025, he offered to host in a suite in his art museum, a homeless Senegalese boy immigrant who was sleeping in a tree during the winter.[18]
In May 2025, Gagliardi launched a civic-participation blog called Chianciano idee, aimed at gathering proposals from residents and local groups to support cultural, social, and tourism initiatives in Chianciano Terme.[19]
According to reporting by La Nazione, the Museo d’Arte di Chianciano offered support for ideas that could be realized as events or initiatives, including a €500 award for the proposer, advertising pages in national newspapers, 1,000 radio spots on Radio Subasio, and targeted digital promotion.[19]