Laurence Madeline excluded from Besançon museums

Appointed in April 2023 as head of the Besançon museums, Laurence Madeline no longer holds her position, according to information from The Republican East. The municipality only indicates that the heritage curator “was reinstated to the Ministry of Culture”from which she was detached, without specifying the terms of her departure.

This withdrawal comes after numerous denunciations of the management practiced by the director, from museum agents and municipal unions. In spring 2024, staff went on strike to denounce a climate of suffering at work. The city of Besançon then attempted mediation, through “coaching” sessions, which remained unsuccessful.

Laurence Madeline was finally temporarily suspended from her duties during the summer, before an administrative investigation was conducted in November, at the initiative of the city. This gradual taking into account of a latent social situation since the arrival of the director comes with the appointment of a new director of Culture, in May 2024, replacing the director of communications of the city who combined the two positions.

This is not the first time that Laurence Madeline has been talked about for her team management. His time at the Geneva History Museum (2011-2016) ended in similar circumstances, following collective complaints made by staff, and numerous sick leave.

When recruiting a new director for the museum, museum agents were surprised to find his name in the shortlist bisontine, alerting municipal services about his antecedents in Geneva, but also at the Musée d’Orsay. Besançon knowingly recruited its museum director: informed by its agents, the city was also informed by the Ministry of Culture, which reportedly issued a “reserved opinion” regarding this appointment.

The cultural project led by Laurence Madeline was also criticized internally. The latter wanted to build a new institution merging the Museum of Fine Arts and Archeology and the Museum of Time, a scenario poorly accepted by the teams who worked on the renovation of the Museum of Fine Arts, inaugurated in 2018.

The departing director is also accused by agents of misusing public resources for personal purposes: even before sitting down at her director’s office, she would have requested museum agents for her personal move.

In the columns of The Republican Eastthe mobilized unions now consider “case closed” with the departure of Laurence Madeline.

Similar Posts