Serena Bertolucci set to become director of Palazzo Ducale in Genoa

Serena Bertolucci, currently director of Palazzo Reale in Genoa and one of the super-directors under the Franceschini reform, is expected to be appointed director of Palazzo Ducale in Genoa during the Foundation's Board of Directors meeting on October 26. She would replace Pietro da Passano, who has led the institution since its reopening in 1992 after a long restoration. The appointment follows a 'manifestation of interest' published in July, which was not a formal call for applications. Despite receiving about twenty CVs, the Board reportedly intends to bypass them and directly appoint Bertolucci. The manifestation of interest included a clause allowing the Foundation to cancel or modify the procedure at any time. Critically, the selection is being made by the Board itself rather than an external commission, and there is a temporal inconsistency: the director's term would end in 2023, while the Board's term ends in 2022. The controversy adds to recent disputes over cultural institutions in Genoa, including the former contemporary art museum Villa Croce.