Tate at a turning point: new director must confront unwieldy 'beast' of an art institution
As Maria Balshaw steps down after nine years as director of Tate, the institution faces financial strain, staff morale issues, and an identity crisis. Chair Roland Rudd insists things are good, citing 6.2 million visitors and 155,000 members, but acknowledges challenges. Balshaw's tenure saw pandemic-era losses of £56 million, multiple redundancies, culture war battles, and controversies like the Rex Whistler mural and Chris Ofili's Requiem mural. The search for a successor is underway, with Karin Hindsbo (interim director) and Jessica Morgan (Dia Beacon director) as frontrunners. The final interview is in June, with the chosen candidate needing to navigate a squeezed financial landscape and potential abolition of free admission.
Key facts
- Maria Balshaw stepped down as Tate director after nine years.
- Tate had 6.2 million visitors in the year ending March 2026, up 200,000 from the previous year.
- Tate membership is 155,000, the largest of any cultural institution.
- The pandemic left a £56 million hole in Tate's finances.
- Staff morale is described as 'on the floor' due to redundancies and culture wars.
- Controversies include the Rex Whistler mural, a six-figure discrimination settlement, and Chris Ofili's Requiem mural.
- Roland Rudd chairs Tate; the board is seen as too commercially minded.
- Frontrunners for the director role are Karin Hindsbo and Jessica Morgan.
- The final interview will be held in June, with the prime minister signing off.
- Tate faces competition from the National Gallery for 20th-century art.
Entities
Artists
- Maria Balshaw
- Tracey Emin
- J.M.W. Turner
- John Constable
- Lee Miller
- Steve McQueen
- Chris Ofili
- Khadija Saye
- Lubaina Himid
- Hurvin Anderson
- Hew Locke
- Sonia Boyce
- David A Bailey
- Máret Ánne Sara
Institutions
- Tate
- Tate Britain
- Tate Modern
- Tate St Ives
- Tate Liverpool
- Whitworth
- V&A East
- National Gallery
- British Museum
- Dia Beacon
- Royal College of Art
- Courtauld Institute of Art
- Groucho Club
- Hyundai
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport
- The Guardian
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Manchester
- Kent
- Midlands
- New York
- United States
- Adelphi Building
- Thames