The Museum of Art and Design in Benešov will be led by Gabriela Francová

Benešov – Gabriela Francová has become the director of the Museum of Art and Design in Benešov, having previously worked at the headquarters of the Czech School Inspection. She won the selection process, and the council appointed her to the position effective from the New Year, said Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Zahradníček.

Four people applied for the competition, and according to him, Francová performed the best. "Her focus is pedagogical-cultural, and her current job is somewhat different from leading a museum. However, the selection committee leaned towards her being the most suitable candidate for the position," stated Zahradníček.

Francová is set to replace Lenka Škvorová, who resigned in the spring of this year. The leadership of the museum has been entrusted to Alena Ochepovsky, head of its artistic department, until the end of the year. The selection procedure for the new director became complicated. The city had to cancel the first competition because the applicants did not meet the required criteria.

Škvorová took the helm of the museum in 2017 after the departure of Tomáš Fassati, and she was officially appointed director two years later. She justified her departure, among other reasons, due to disagreements with the culture department at the Benešov city hall. Zahradníček had already told ČTK earlier that the city leadership was satisfied with Škvorová's work. He believes the museum functioned excellently under her leadership, even during the pandemic. However, he did not deny that communication between the museum and the culture department was more complicated.