Deruta seeks unpaid museum directors amid cultural labor debate

The municipality of Deruta, a medieval hill town in Umbria, has issued a call for a director to oversee both the Museo Regionale delle Ceramiche and the Pinacoteca Comunale. The position, advertised on May 28, requires extensive qualifications—including a high-level degree, years of experience in managing public and private institutions, fundraising skills, international relations, technological expertise, and certified English proficiency—yet offers no salary, only reimbursement for documented expenses. The appointment is for a three-year term, described as a private contract on a pro bono basis. The museum complex includes the Museo Regionale delle Ceramiche, claimed to be Italy's oldest ceramics museum with a collection of 6,000 pieces, and the Pinacoteca Comunale housed in a 14th-century palace, whose highlight is a fresco by Pietro Vannucci, known as Il Perugino. The call has sparked outrage among cultural workers, particularly from the Mi riconosci movement, which demands the withdrawal of the notice before its June 12 deadline. Critics argue that the unpaid role devalues cultural labor and that the demanding responsibilities cannot be fulfilled without proper compensation. The situation highlights the financial struggles of small Italian municipalities in funding cultural institutions.