Tate have today confirmed that Maria Balshaw, currently Director of the Whitworth (University of Manchester) and Manchester City Galleries has been appointed the new Director of Tate. 

This new appointment made by the gallery’s board of trustees has been approved by the Prime Minister The Rt Hon Theresa May MP.

Maria Balshaw is the ninth director to be appointed, following the decision by current Director Nicholas Serota, to take up the part-time role of Chairman of Arts Council England on 1 February 2017. Taking up her new position from on the 1st June, Maria Balshaw is the first woman to take the position.

As well as being the current director of the Whitworth (University of Manchester) and Manchester City Galleries, Maria Balshaw is also Director of Culture for Manchester City Council. She began her career in academia before working for Arts Council England in Birmingham.

Chairman of the Trustees of Tate Lord Browne said: “On behalf of the Trustees I am delighted to announce the appointment of Maria Balshaw as Tate’s new Director. The Trustees and I know that Maria has the vision, drive and stature to lead Tate into its next phase of development. We enthusiastically look forward to working with her as she does so.”

Maria Balshaw said: “I am honoured to be asked by the Trustees of Tate to become the new Director. Under Nicholas Serota’s leadership, Tate has changed forever how we all think about art and artists and has made visual art a central part of a vibrant cultural life in the UK. I am tremendously excited to be leading Tate in the next chapter of its life.”