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Jessica Morgan named new Tate director – with ‘big pay cut‘ to take job
Jessica Morgan has been confirmed as the new director of Tate, returning to the arts organisation where she previously spent more than a decade as a curator, at a critical time in its history. She replaces Maria Balshaw, who departed this spring after nine years in charge, and moves from her current role leading New York's Dia Art Foundation, taking what Tate's chair Roland Rudd described as a "very big pay cut" to accept the position. Her appointment matters because she inherits an institution grappling with financial pressures, low staff morale and fluctuating visitor numbers, following a difficult period marked by pandemic-driven redundancies and restructuring.
Morgan, 57, studied art history at Cambridge and the Courtauld Institute and built a reputation for developing international talent, having led Dia since 2015. Balshaw earned between £220,000 and £225,000 at Tate, notably less than Morgan's reported Dia salary, underscoring the scale of her pay cut. Rudd praised her as "an agent of change" who nonetheless "carries people with her", while former Tate Modern director Frances Morris called her "hugely hardworking" with "a very strong sense of what's right". Morgan takes up the post in January, tasked with building on recent successes such as the Tracey Emin retrospective and record-breaking Frida Kahlo exhibition while addressing Tate's financial exposure across its four sites.
In short
- Jessica Morgan named new Tate director, starting January, succeeding Maria Balshaw
- She left a higher-paying role at New York's Dia Art Foundation
- Must tackle Tate's finances, staff morale and visitor number challenges
Explained simply
Tate is a group of four publicly funded art galleries in the UK, including Tate Modern and Tate Britain in London. Its director oversees the organisation’s exhibitions, finances and staff, while working with its board and relying on a mix of public funding, donations and ticket income.
Jessica Morgan has worked at Tate before as a curator and has led New York’s Dia Art Foundation since 2015. She takes over from Maria Balshaw, who led Tate for nine years, at a time when the organisation is facing financial strain and staff morale concerns after pandemic-era cuts and restructuring.
Tate’s choices matter because its galleries shape how many people encounter art and which artists receive attention. Morgan will need to manage pressures across all four sites while sustaining exhibitions that attract visitors.