Verona's Civic Museums Director Selection Faces Transparency Concerns
The selection process for the director of Verona's civic museums, encompassing 14 sites including Castelvecchio and the Arena, has been marred by delays and allegations of irregularities. The public competition, announced in August 2021, aims to fill a permanent position requiring extensive managerial and cultural expertise. However, the process has faced criticism for potentially favoring the current director, Francesca Rossi, who has led the museum network since 2017. The civic group Traguardi filed a formal complaint, suggesting the job description was tailored to her profile. The examination, initially set for December 16, 2021, was postponed due to unspecified organizational issues and rescheduled for February 16, 2022. The evaluation committee, appointed on December 2, 2021, initially included Giuliana Tomasella, a professor at the University of Padua, who was later replaced by Daniele Jallà, former ICOM president, due to perceived conflicts of interest. Tomasella has defended her qualifications, citing her academic role and directorship of the University of Padua's museum center. The controversy has prompted a prosecutor's investigation into the competition's transparency.
Key facts
- The competition for director of Verona's civic museums was announced in August 2021.
- The written and oral exams were scheduled for March 16, 2022.
- The museum network includes 14 sites: Museo di Storia Naturale, Museo Lapidario Maffeiano, Museo Archeologico al Teatro Romano, Anfiteatro Arena, Museo di Castelvecchio, Galleria d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Museo degli Affreschi alla Tomba di Giulietta, Casa di Giulietta, Arche Scaligere, Pinacoteca della Loggia del Consiglio, Cappella dei Notai, Chiesa di San Giorgetto, and Chiesa di San Domenico.
- The position is a permanent managerial role requiring leadership, problem-solving, and cultural heritage expertise.
- The civic movement Traguardi questioned the job description in September 2021, alleging it favored Francesca Rossi, the current director since 2017.
- The prosecutor's office received a complaint and opened an investigation into the competition.
- The evaluation committee was appointed on December 2, 2021, with three external members, initially including Giuliana Tomasella.
- The exams were postponed from December 16, 2021, to February 16, 2022, due to organizational reasons, and Tomasella was replaced by Daniele Jallà.
- Tomasella was considered to have a conflict of interest due to her prior involvement in a conference coordinated by Rossi.
- Giuliana Tomasella defended her expertise as a professor of Museology and director of the University of Padua's museum center.
Entities
Artists
- Francesca Rossi
- Giuliana Tomasella
- Daniele Jallà
- Tommaso Ferrari
Institutions
- Museo di Storia Naturale
- Museo Lapidario Maffeiano
- Museo Archeologico al Teatro Romano
- Anfiteatro Arena
- Museo di Castelvecchio
- Galleria d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea
- Museo degli Affreschi alla Tomba di Giulietta
- Casa di Giulietta
- Arche Scaligere
- Pinacoteca della Loggia del Consiglio
- Cappella dei Notai
- Chiesa di San Giorgetto
- Chiesa di San Domenico
- Comune di Verona
- Traguardi
- ICOM
- Università di Padova
- Palazzo della Gran Guardia
- Artribune
Locations
- Verona
- Italy
- Padua
- Palazzo della Gran Guardia