Five candidates stepped forward in response to the public call issued last June to lead the Juan Gil-Albert Alicante Cultural Institute. Of these, three have made it onto the provisional list after meeting the required documentation, and among them are a former Provincial Deputy for Culture and a former mayor of Benissa. The names on the provisional list include Juan Bautista Roselló Tent, a journalist from INFORMACIÓN’s Culture desk, Cristina Martínez Álvarez, and Laia Vila Merce, an economics graduate originally from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
The other two contenders, Mª José Martínez Ganga, a youth informant and cultural manager at the Sax City Council, and Diego Gerardo Rey Aristimuno, have been temporarily excluded from the provisional list. The reasons cited are the absence of the required degree or equivalent qualification and the fact that their applications arrived after the official deadline stated in the Official Gazette of the Province. This update was issued earlier this week.
According to the BOP publication, applicants have five business days to file claims. The period will start the day after the notice appears in the BOP, meaning the provisional list will remain in flux until any claims are resolved and final formalities are completed.
The decree also specifies the composition of the Evaluation Commission tasked with assessing the candidates. The commission includes Mª José Argudo Poyatos, the Director of the Cultural Area at the Alicante Provincial Council; Amparo Koninckx Frasquet, secretary of the Juan Gil-Albert Alicante Cultural Institute; and Jorge Agatangelo Soler Díaz, the Technical Director of the Gravina Museum of Fine Arts, who will oversee the evaluation process with expertise and impartiality.
Gil-Albert’s cultural management will be paid 58,000 euros annually
The role of cultural director at the Gil-Albert Institute was professionalized in the latest round of recruitment, with the call issued last June. The position is no longer an honorary post granted for attendance at meetings; it is now a salaried professional role embedded within the institute’s staff, carrying an annual remuneration of 58,000 euros.
Historically, the appointment of the cultural lead for the institute has involved a merit-based process supported by the office of the Deputy of Culture since 2020. In that year, Julia Parra was selected, and she was followed by a new appointment in 2021 after the earlier term concluded. Later, in August, the post shifted to Pilar Tébar, who took on the role of director general of Cultural Heritage within the Department of Culture and Sports of the Generalitat Valenciana. The evolution reflects ongoing efforts to formalize leadership and professional standards in regional cultural governance.
These shifts signal a broader move toward professionalizing cultural administration across Alicante. By establishing a formal salary and a merit-based selection framework, the institution aims to align its leadership with contemporary expectations for public sector cultural management. The outcome of the current selection process will determine the trajectory of the Gil-Albert Institute as it continues to serve as a major cultural hub for the region and a beacon of artistic programming for residents and visitors alike. The process underscores the balance between accountability, qualification requirements, and timely appointment in maintaining a robust cultural ecosystem for the community.
As the official process unfolds, observers note the importance of transparency in the candidate evaluation and the timely resolution of any claims. The final selection will reflect both the needs of the institute and the broader cultural strategy of the province, ensuring that leadership continuity supports ongoing exhibitions, educational programs, and community engagement initiatives that define the Gil-Albert experience for years to come.