The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) has laid off 33 employees, approximately 6.3% of its staff, to address a projected $13 million structural deficit. Among those let go were the museum's only Black, Muslim, and Indigenous curators, leading to accusations that the cuts disproportionately targeted staff of color and undermined diversity initiatives.
The layoffs have sparked significant backlash, including petitions and an open letter from faculty at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design calling for the curators' reinstatement. Critics, including other museum directors and community members, argue the cuts signal a de-prioritization of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work. The museum's director, Pierre Terjanian, has denied the layoffs were discriminatory, stating the demographic makeup of the staff remained unchanged, but the controversy highlights ongoing tensions in cultural institutions between financial pressures and commitments to representation.