Maria Balshaw will step down as Tate’s director next spring after nearly ten years at the helm of the multi-site institution. Balshaw, who previously led Manchester’s Whitworth, joined Tate in June 2017 and has played a pivotal role in reshaping the museum’s priorities—notably broadening the gender balance and expanding the geographical reach of new acquisitions.
Her tenure will conclude with a landmark, career-spanning Tracey Emin exhibition at Tate Modern, running from 27 February to 31 August 2026. Balshaw described the period as a true privilege, thanking colleagues and artists for their collaboration while acknowledging the evolving audience and the organisation’s strong forward plan. She said that now feels like the right moment to hand the baton to a successor who can guide Tate into its next era of innovation and artistic leadership.
Balshaw’s exit comes as Tate Britain prepares to open a new Clore Garden in 2026, with additional major transformations on the horizon: Tate Liverpool is scheduled to reopen in 2027 after a substantial refurbishment, and Tate St Ives will begin renovating the Palais de Danse, Barbara Hepworth’s second studio. Chair of Tate, Roland Rudd, hailed Balshaw as a trailblazer who stayed true to the belief that more people should access the richness of art and that more artists deserve to be part of the story. He also highlighted Tate’s expanded reach through galleries, digital platforms, and programs at partner venues across the UK and beyond.
The timing of recruitment for a new director has not yet been disclosed. Balshaw’s tenure encompassed a volatile period for the institution, including two reorganisations following the Covid-19 disruption. In recent weeks, more than 150 Tate staff participated in a weeklong strike over pay and conditions across several sites, an action that ended on December 2.
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