ICOM Italy criticizes Querini Stampalia Foundation's vague director search

ICOM Italy has formally criticized the Fondazione Querini Stampalia in Venice for publishing a vague and insufficient call for a new director. The selection notice, issued in February 2024, requires only a master's degree or university master, experience in cultural roles or project management, English proficiency, and negotiation skills. No PhD or mandatory master's degree is required, and no interview is planned. ICOM Italy argues this does not meet Italian and European standards for museum professions, which demand scientific, cultural, and managerial competencies. The foundation, housed in a 16th-century palace, holds a library of nearly 400,000 volumes, a museum with original furnishings, and an art collection including works by Giovanni Bellini, Giambattista Tiepolo, and Pietro Longhi, alongside contemporary interventions by artists like Joseph Kosuth and architects Carlo Scarpa, Valeriano Pastor, Mario Botta, and Michele De Lucchi. ICOM Italy warns that such a generic call risks selecting a mediocre candidate with only technical background, lacking scientific expertise. It urges transparency and professionalism, citing similar cases at Venice's Civic Museums and Trieste.