Jessica Morgan has been named the new chief of the Tate, marking her return to the arts organisation after more than a decade.
The 57-year-old will succeed Maria Balshaw in the role, who became the first female director of the Tate in 2017.
Ms Balshaw has helmed the institution for nine years, and was the force behind a programme of exhibitions that include Steve McQueen’s Year 3, a collective school portrait of 76,000 children aged seven or eight from across London.
Return to Tate
Ms Morgan, who was appointed by former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, will oversee four galleries in her new post – Tate Modern and Tate Britain in London, as well as Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives.
She previously worked as a curator at the Tate from 2002 to 2010, and also held a senior position at the Tate Modern from 2010 to 2014.
Ms Morgan, who is currently the director of the New York-based Dia Art Foundation, curated many major exhibitions at the Tate and played a vital role in the growth of its international art collection.
New era for Tate
She said: “It is an immense privilege to be asked by the trustees to become the new director.
“Tate is undoubtedly the world’s foremost institution for international modern and contemporary art and for British art, leading the field through its collection and exhibition programme.
“My time as a curator at Tate deeply informed my work in the last 11 years steering Dia Art Foundation, with artists and our public always at the centre of what we do.
“I look forward to this pivotal next stage at Tate, and most importantly, continuing and advancing the incredible work of Tate’s committed and talented team in the years to come.”
Ms Morgan joins the organisation as Tate Liverpool prepares to reopen next year following a major transformation.
She takes up her new post on January 1 2027, with deputy director of Tate and boss of Tate Modern Karin Hindsbo stepping in until then.
Ms Morgan has been director of Dia Art Foundation since 2015, and has been credited for transforming it into a “more expansive and dynamic institution”, having brought a broader range of artists and artworks into its collection and exhibition programme.
She has also previously held senior positions at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston and the Museum Of Contemporary Art in Chicago and is on numerous international advisory boards for institutions in countries such as India, Thailand, Spain and Germany.
Roland Rudd, chairman of the Tate, said: “Jessica is an exceptional leader and a deeply respected figure across the sector.
“Her visionary revitalisation of Dia Art Foundation, as well as her prior experience at Tate and her many years working with artists and institutions around the world, make her the ideal person to lead Tate into a new era.”
