MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis Institute of Art, or MIA, is full of artwork expressing creativity, and as the signs around the entrance say, "Everyone is welcome. Always." If you speak to former curator of paintings Robert Cozzolino, he'll tell you that doesn't feel like it's the case.
"Myself and other folks who worked there, including people who still work there, were submitted to subjected to a pattern of retaliation for doing a lot of outspoken work with equity and DEI work," Cozzolino, who was fired in January, said. "Really trying to change the museum to be something that shared power with community."
Cozzolino says the specific reason why he was fired according to MIA leadership pertained to correspondence he had with a donor two years ago.
"Nothing was untoward, there's no bad-mouthing or scandal," he said. "The, you know, like, releasing secret information or sensitive information. It's just communicating with somebody about artwork. That's all it is."
Cozzolino's former union, OPEIU Local 12, has also been heavily involved in discussions surrounding the alleged toxic workplace for over a year and a half. Cesar Montufar says many issues can be traced back to MIA director Katie Luber, who was hired in 2020.
"If you've got anecdotal evidence from dozens and dozens and dozens of people, that does really amount to something," Montufar said. "The real issue here is that people who speak up about the work that they have been doing are chased out of the museum."
Montufar says many instances culminated in a toxic workplace, including unfair labor practices, retaliation, and stopping of programs related to racial equity and better representation for people of color. He says this came to a head when Cozzolino was fired in January.
"I'm not arguing that he was the powder keg, he was the match," Montufar said.
Both Montufar and Cozzolino allege that Cozzolino was not provided proper warning before he was terminated, which should have happened under a recent contract agreement.
We reached out to MIA leadership for more information and were told that no one was available for an interview, but someone would answer our questions via email.
We asked what led to Cozzolino's firing, and were told, "Bob Cozzolino’s employment was terminated for cause. Unfortunately, OPEIU seems to have decided to mount a public campaign against the museum – even though Bob was terminated not because of his commitment to DEI issues but despite his commitment to these issues. Let’s be very clear: Bob was given an opportunity to address the concerns prior to termination. Bob was provided with a detailed letter outlining the reasons for his termination, and a copy of that letter was also provided to the union."
We also asked about a letter circulating online, with signatures from people all around the country in support of Cozzolino.
"If people understood the causes behind Bob’s termination, we think they would not have signed the letter," was their response.
Montufar says this has been brought to the National Labor Relations Board, where he expects to win, saying this is a violation of labor law.
Regardless of the outcome, Cozzolino says he doesn't expect to go back unless current leadership is changed.
"If I was able to do that, and to continue to do that, and to do it in a more open, creative, expressive and collaborative way, then I would go back," he said. "But the current climate just doesn't seem like it allows for that."