Over 800 freelance professionals demand reinstatement at Italian Ministry of Culture

Since July 1, 2021, the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC) employed over 800 VAT-registered professionals through specific tenders issued in 2020 under Article 24 of Law Decree 104/2020. These included architects, art historians, archaeologists, engineers, archivists, librarians, restorers, construction assistants, communication experts, procurement specialists, and accounting technicians. They worked alongside permanent staff in peripheral offices—superintendencies, museums, and libraries—on tasks such as administrative procedures, heritage protection, project evaluation, and PNRR-funded projects. The contracts ended on December 31, 2024, and were not renewed, leaving the MiC without a significant pool of specialized expertise. A recent competition brought in new permanent staff but did not fully resolve chronic understaffing. The National Coordination of MiC Collaborators, representing 300 professionals, has initiated dialogue with the MiC Cabinet Office to seek recognition of their work and renewed funding for such collaborations. They argue that the multidisciplinary experience gained is too valuable to lose, especially given ongoing needs for heritage protection and enhancement.