Nicholas Serota Steps Down from Tate After 30 Years as BP Ends Sponsorship

Nicholas Serota announced his departure from Tate in September after nearly three decades leading the institution, following a significant year that included his 70th birthday in April and the June opening of Tate Modern's Switch House expansion. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the new building increased gallery space by 60% and enabled Tate to advance its commitment to showcasing more women and global artists. During 2015–16, Tate acquired 1,008 works, with 676 coming from artists outside the UK, while major exhibitions featured women artists including Marlene Dumas, Sonia Delaunay, Agnes Martin, Mona Hatoum, and Barbara Hepworth. With Frances Morris appointed as director of Tate Modern and Alex Farquharson leading Tate Britain, Serota's legacy appears secure. Concurrently, BP terminated its 26-year sponsorship deal with Tate, attributing the decision to a challenging business environment, though activist group Liberate Tate had protested the partnership since 2010. Liberate Tate is now shifting its campaign to other BP-supported art institutions. Serota will not retire; in February 2017, he assumes the part-time role of chair at Arts Council England, succeeding Peter Bazalgette.