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| Maria Balshaw's Tate appointment confirmed by prime minister | Maria Balshaw's Tate appointment confirmed by prime minister |
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| Maria Balshaw is to become one of the the most important figures in British arts after her appointment as the new director of Tate was approved by the prime minister. | Maria Balshaw is to become one of the the most important figures in British arts after her appointment as the new director of Tate was approved by the prime minister. |
| She is the first woman to be appointed director of Tate and starts on 1 June. 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. I look forward to developing Tate’s reputation as the most artistically adventurous and culturally inclusive gallery in the world.” | |
| News that Tate trustees had chosen Balshaw, currently in charge of Manchester’s galleries, broke last week, but it still had to get the agreement of Theresa May. | |
| On Tuesday, Tate confirmed that Balshaw will succeed Sir Nicholas Serota, who is standing down after almost 30 years. | On Tuesday, Tate confirmed that Balshaw will succeed Sir Nicholas Serota, who is standing down after almost 30 years. |
| Her appointment will be cheered loudly in the arts world. She has been a pivotal figure in the continuing cultural rejuvenation of Manchester, overseeing the £15m redevelopment of the Whitworth gallery and credited with persuading the former chancellor George Osborne to invest £78m in the new Factory arts hub on the site of the old Granada Studios. | |
| Balshaw has been director of the Whitworth since 2006. She became joint director of the Whitworth and the Manchester Art Gallery in 2011. In 2014, she in effect became Manchester’s cultural attache when she took on the role of strategic lead for culture at the city council. | Balshaw has been director of the Whitworth since 2006. She became joint director of the Whitworth and the Manchester Art Gallery in 2011. In 2014, she in effect became Manchester’s cultural attache when she took on the role of strategic lead for culture at the city council. |
| She has been frontrunner for Tate ever since Serota announced he was stepping down. The Whitworth redevelopment is regarded as a triumph, one that helped it win UK museum of the year in 2015 and double visitor numbers. Apollo magazine also gave Balshaw that year’s personality of the year award. | |
| Balshaw was born in Birmingham, spent her childhood in Leicester and Northampton, studied English at Liverpool University then went to Sussex to do an MA in critical theory, followed by a doctorate. | Balshaw was born in Birmingham, spent her childhood in Leicester and Northampton, studied English at Liverpool University then went to Sussex to do an MA in critical theory, followed by a doctorate. |
| Following time as a lecturer and then a research fellow, Balshaw’s first job in the arts was as director of Creative Partnerships in 2002. This was followed by a senior job for Arts Council England in the West Midlands before her appointment at the Whitworth in 2006. | |
| She gets on with artists, but, unlike previous Tate directors, she is not a curator. Trustees have clearly decided that is not an issue, safe in the knowledge that all four galleries are run by people who do have those skills: Frances Morris at Tate Modern, Alex Farquharson at Tate Britain, Francesco Manacorda at Tate Liverpool and the soon-to-start Anne Barlow at Tate St Ives. | |
| Lord Browne, the chair of trustees at Tate, said he was delighted to announce the appointment. “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.” | |
| After the news broke, her appointment was welcomed by many people in the arts world. The artist Cornelia Parker said Balshaw was “brilliant”, someone who allows people to play to their strengths. “She’s very astute about art and she encourages you as an artist to be as bold as you want to be. As an artist, you want somebody who is brave rather than cautious,” she said. | After the news broke, her appointment was welcomed by many people in the arts world. The artist Cornelia Parker said Balshaw was “brilliant”, someone who allows people to play to their strengths. “She’s very astute about art and she encourages you as an artist to be as bold as you want to be. As an artist, you want somebody who is brave rather than cautious,” she said. |
| The writer Jeanette Winterson said: “She is high art, but she’s democratic. There’s no dumbing down, there’s no apologies, but she is also saying this is for everybody. That’s why I love her … it’s that all-inclusive, forward-thinking but no compromises.” | |
| Balshaw’s move to London will leave a big hole in Manchester and the most likely scenario would be the jobs of the city art gallery and the Whitworth being split back in two. | Balshaw’s move to London will leave a big hole in Manchester and the most likely scenario would be the jobs of the city art gallery and the Whitworth being split back in two. |