Venice's civic museums closed until April, protest: an illogical choice

After the protests of labor unions over the closure until April 2021 of the Venice Civic Museums, they are now joined by those of the association Mi Riconosci? I am a cultural heritage professional, which calls the choice of the Fondazione Musei Civici “illogical.” The reasons for the choice, according to Mi Riconosci?, seem clear: in the absence of the tourist induced activity and therefore the probable income that would be derived from it, the Fondazione Musei Civici would prefer not to risk economic losses, and consequently would consider it more convenient to lay off 100 percent of the workers, according to the association. Less than a month ago, Foundation President Mariacristina Gribaudi declared “we are ready to reopen today,” a statement, however, that today sounds completely bizarre in relation to the situation.

“The hundreds of workers employed by the cooperatives, outsourced by the Foundation, will be destined for more months of layoffs, which in some cases reach 350 or 400 euros, and constantly delayed,” explains museum educator and activist Cristina Chiesura, “but for hundreds of other workers whose fate depended on the Civic Museums of Venice there will not be even that minimal protection: museum educators for example, self-employed workers with VAT numbers who find themselves without work and without any kind of subsidy. And to this must be added all the workers related to the cultural tourism chain: how can we think of building proximity tourism with Venice museums closed?”

“It is impressive that the Foundation has chosen not only to keep closed, but to suspend all activities, even those of cataloguing, research, and programming,” adds Alice Battistella, Venetian contact person for the association Mi Riconosci?“And this in spite of the fact that the Foundation has received public subsidies of 7 million euros, in addition to the guaranteed redundancy fund, which guaranteed the management to close the year in the positive. The Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, which is 100 percent owned by the city, to whom does it answer? To the interests of the citizens and the city, to cultural interests, or to private economic interests?”

The decision is thus seen as falling on the shoulders of the workers and the citizenry. In short, 2020 seems to be closing in on giving its worst. “Is this really what we want for Venice?” the activists ask.

Venice's civic museums closed until April, protest: an illogical choice

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