Former Director Tate (2017-2026)
Maria Balshaw is a museum leader, curator and writer. As Director of Tate from 2017 to 2026, she helped engage broader audiences with a programme based on artistic boldness, inclusivity and equity. Her final exhibition at Tate, Tracey Emin: A Second Life, is one of the most successful contemporary art shows in Tate’s history.
Before joining Tate, Balshaw was Director of the Whitworth, University of Manchester; Director of Manchester City Galleries; and Director of Culture for Manchester City Council. She was a lecturer and research fellow at the University of Birmingham (1997-2002) and the University of Northampton (1993-1997).
Maria holds a Masters and DPhil from the University of Sussex. In 2015, she was awarded a CBE for services to the arts. She is the author of many books and articles, most recently Gathering of Strangers: Why Museums Matter (Tate, 2024).