Tate has announced the appointment of Jessica Morgan as its new Director, marking one of the most significant leadership changes in the international museum world. Currently Director of the Dia Art Foundation in New York, Morgan will become the tenth Director in Tate’s history when she takes up the role on 1 January 2027, succeeding Maria Balshaw CBE.
Her appointment brings to Tate one of the most respected curatorial voices in contemporary art, with decades of experience shaping major exhibitions, expanding museum collections, and working closely with artists across the globe.
A return to Tate
Although Morgan joins Tate from New York, the institution is already familiar territory. Between 2002 and 2014, she held several senior curatorial positions at Tate, including The Daskalopoulos Curator, International Art at Tate Modern.
During this period, she organised major exhibitions dedicated to artists including Gabriel Orozco, John Baldessari, Martin Kippenberger, and Saloua Raouda Choucair, while also curating several of the renowned Unilever Series commissions for the Turbine Hall. She played an important role in expanding Tate’s international collection, strengthening its holdings of post-war and contemporary art from North America, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.
Her return reflects both continuity and a renewed international vision for the institution.
Transforming Dia Art Foundation
Since becoming Director of Dia Art Foundation in 2015, Morgan has overseen a period of remarkable growth for one of the world’s most influential contemporary art organisations.
Founded in the 1970s, Dia is internationally recognised for its long-term support of artists, site-specific commissions, and stewardship of iconic installations such as Walter De Maria’s The Lightning Field and Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty. Under Morgan’s leadership, the foundation expanded its programme, increased free public access, renovated its Chelsea spaces, strengthened its collection, and significantly increased its endowment.
She also broadened Dia’s curatorial scope through major exhibitions devoted to artists including Lee Ufan, Agnes Martin, Hélio Oiticica, Roni Horn, Senga Nengudi, Steve McQueen, Delcy Morelos, and Lucy Raven, reinforcing the institution’s commitment to sustained engagement with contemporary artistic practice.
An internationally connected curator
Beyond her museum leadership, Morgan has built an international reputation through major exhibitions and advisory roles.
She served as Artistic Director of the 10th Gwangju Biennale in 2014, one of the world’s leading contemporary art biennials, and has recently curated Minimal at the Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection in Paris and a major retrospective of Lee Ufan at SMAC in Venice.
Morgan also serves on several international advisory boards, including those of Haus der Kunst in Munich, MACBA in Barcelona, the Khao Yai Foundation in Thailand, and the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai, reflecting the global perspective that has characterised her career.
Leading Tate into a new era
Morgan assumes leadership at an important moment for Tate. The institution continues to attract millions of visitors annually across Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, and Tate St Ives, while its international influence extends through exhibitions, loans, research, and one of the world’s largest museum membership programmes.
Her arrival also coincides with the anticipated reopening of Tate Liverpool following its major redevelopment, positioning the organisation for a new phase of growth and public engagement.
Announcing the appointment, Tate Chairman Roland Rudd described Morgan as “an exceptional leader and a deeply respected figure across the sector,” highlighting her ability to combine institutional leadership with a strong commitment to artists and audiences alike.
Why this appointment matters
Museum directors increasingly shape not only exhibitions and collections but also the broader direction of the international art world. Jessica Morgan’s career has consistently demonstrated an ability to balance scholarship, ambitious programming, and institutional development while maintaining close relationships with artists.
Her appointment signals Tate’s continued commitment to an international outlook at a time when museums are rethinking how they build collections, engage diverse audiences, and present global narratives of modern and contemporary art.
With extensive experience across Europe and the United States, and a curatorial practice rooted in collaboration and long-term artistic support, Jessica Morgan is well positioned to lead one of the world’s most influential art institutions into its next chapter.