Olivia Colling and Laura Smith appointed co-directors at The Hepworth Wakefield

Olivia Colling and Laura Smith have been named co-directors of The Hepworth Wakefield, with Colling as executive director and Smith as artistic director. Both had been serving in interim capacities since September, following Simon Wallis's departure to become secretary and chief executive of the Royal Academy, London. Colling, originally from Yorkshire, joined the museum in 2015 as director of communications and development, was promoted to deputy director in 2022, and has been interim director and CEO since September. Smith, also Yorkshire-born, previously worked as a curator at the Tate and Whitechapel Gallery before joining The Hepworth Wakefield in 2022 as director of collections and exhibitions, and has been interim artistic director since September. In her role, Smith has managed the exhibition program, presenting major shows by artists such as Andrew Cranston, Igshaan Adams, Kira Freije, and Helen Chadwick. Steva Langan, chair of The Hepworth Wakefield Trust, praised the duo, stating that their complementary strengths and dynamic ideas for future exhibitions, rooted in art history, will benefit local residents and wider Yorkshire audiences while attracting visitors from across the UK and internationally.