Valentín Roma Appointed Director of MACBA Amid Sector Criticism of Selection Process

The Board of Trustees of the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) has appointed Valentín Roma as the museum’s new director, following a selection process launched earlier this year after the departure of Elvira Dyangani Ose. Roma, currently Director of La Virreina Centre de la Imatge, will assume the position in the coming weeks under a five-year contract with the possibility of renewal.

The appointment comes shortly after several leading arts organisations in Catalonia, including the Catalan Association of Art Critics (ACCA), the Association of Cultural Management Professionals of Catalonia (APGCC), and PAAC, with support from the museum’s workers’ committee, issued a public statement criticising the recruitment process.

The organisations argued that the competition failed to meet accepted standards of transparency and independent assessment. Among their concerns were the absence of an international independent juror, questions regarding the independence and museum leadership expertise of jury members, the lack of a high-level English language requirement for candidates, and the absence of publicly available, quantifiable evaluation criteria.

In response, the organisations have renewed calls for the development of a specific code governing leadership appointments in museums and art centres across Catalonia, aimed at ensuring greater transparency, accountability, and alignment with sector best practices.

Roma previously served as Chief Curator at MACBA between 2013 and 2015 and has led La Virreina Centre de la Imatge since 2016. According to the selection committee, his proposal was chosen for the strength of its vision and the coherence of his professional trajectory.