Alex Farquharson outlines Tate Britain's future direction, emphasizing audience engagement and historical expansion
Alex Farquharson, the director of Tate Britain, reflects on his initial two years, highlighting the institution's cultural significance and global impact. To engage younger audiences, he is introducing initiatives such as Late at Tate Britain and the Queer and Now festival. Farquharson intends to broaden the exhibitions to feature more pre-19th century artworks and enhance contemporary programming, increasing Art Now shows from two to three each year. He identifies three key themes: the interplay of art and society, Britain's global connections, and the relevance of history today. Notable past exhibitions include David Hockney's retrospective, which attracted 500,000 visitors, and Queer British Art. Upcoming displays feature Aftermath: Art in the Wake of World War One and a showcase on Angelica Kauffman.
Key facts
- Alex Farquharson has been director of Tate Britain for two years
- Tate Britain plans to increase Art Now exhibitions from two to three per year
- The institution focuses on three thematic pillars: art and society, Britain and the world, history and the present
- Late at Tate Britain is curated by Tate Collective, a group of young people
- Queer British Art attracted a young and diverse audience, with over half identifying as LGBT
- David Hockney's retrospective at Tate Britain drew 500,000 visitors over four months
- The Turner Prize age limit was removed, allowing artists of any generation to be eligible
- Tate Britain will commission more artists for projects and animate the building with interventions
Entities
Artists
- Alex Farquharson
- Alan Kane
- Francis Bacon
- Lucien Freud
- Edward Burne-Jones
- William Hogarth
- Paul Nash
- John Peel
- Michael Fullerton
- David Hockney
- Cerith Wyn Evans
- William Blake
- Mark Leckey
- Angelica Kauffman
- Frances Stark
Institutions
- Tate Britain
- Tate
- Tate Modern
- Tate Collective
- Nottingham Contemporary
- Royal Academy
- National Theatre
- Berlin Biennale
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Bern
- Switzerland
- France
- Germany
- Flanders
- Dutch Republic