TheSicilian“ ” Region will include the position of“ ” (Historian of Art) inthe administration’s new“ ” Professional Matrix. This was reported by the *Gazzetta del Sud*, after AStArte—the National Association of Art Historians—together with SISCA—the Italian Association of Art History and Criticism (ETS)—Legambiente Nazionale, and Legambiente Sicilia, had recently pointed out the absence of this professional role from the new regional personnel structure.
The issue concerns the process of revising and updating the Sicilian Region’s Professional System, launched to implement the provisions of the current Collective Labor Agreement (CCRL) for non-executive staff and part of the administration’s efforts to modernize and enhance its human capital. In the Methodological Note on the Professional System—intended for discussion between the Department of Public Administration and the labor unions—the position of “technical archaeologist” was in fact included within the Cultural Heritage Department’s civil service category, while that of “technical art historian” was not listed.
AStArte, SISCA, and Legambiente had therefore written to the Regional Department of Local Autonomy and Public Administration—also involving the Department of Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity—requesting that what they considered a serious omission be corrected. The request was based on the specific competencies attributed to art historians in the protection of historical and artistic heritage, as provided for by regional legislation beginning with Regional Law 80/77 and the professional requirements set forth in Ministerial Decree 244/2019.
The duties of the technical art historian include identifying the nature, characteristics, and aesthetic significance of movable and immovable historical and artistic heritage, as well as conducting studies and planning aimed at preservation, restoration, verification or declaration of cultural interest, and enhancement. The role also includes the planning and supervision of restoration and enhancement projects, the scientific direction and overall oversight of projects, the preparation of condition reports and insurance appraisals, appraisals of the value of cultural heritage assets, and the expert assessments required for the issuance or denial of export permits.
Responsibilities also include authorizations provided for by the Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape, verifying the appropriateness and proper execution of interventions on cultural heritage, cataloging and inventorying, and the historical-critical definition of cultural heritage. The official is also responsible for the scientific planning of exhibitions and museums, the drafting of publications and scientific texts, participation in conferences, the management of assessments of cultural significance and restrictions on private heritage, and collaboration with the Carabinieri’s Cultural Heritage Protection Unit. Rounding out the scope of responsibilities is the planning and implementation of educational activities focused on historical and artistic heritage.
In their letter to the Region, the associations also pointed out that the absence of an art historian was not an isolated incident. Already in the request to amend the Regional Council’s resolution of October 29, 2020, regarding the “Matrix of Professional Profiles and Dictionary of Competencies,” only the profile of an archaeologist was included. Nor were archivists, librarians, demo-ethno-anthropologists, physical anthropologists, restorers and assistant restorers of cultural heritage, diagnostic experts, and specialists in sciences and technologies applied to cultural heritage—that is, some of the roles recognized by Article 9-bis of the Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape for interventions aimed at safeguarding, protecting, conserving, enhancing, and facilitating access to the heritage.
The organizations also referred to the competitive exam announced last December for the permanent hiring of ten technical archaeologists for the Department of Cultural Heritage—the first such exam in 25 years for this professional role. They emphasized that, on that occasion as well, art historians had not been included.
The request made to the Region was therefore to include the technical art historian position in the new Professional Matrix, to ensure that the administration has the specialized expertise necessary for the protection of Sicily’s historical and artistic heritage. This heritage is particularly extensive: according to the “Sistema Cultura Sicilia” report, produced last year by THEA Group, Sicily is in fact the leading region in Southern Italy in terms of the number of cultural institutions.
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| Sicily: The Region Will Add the Position of Art Historian to Its Staff |
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