Wed 10 Nov, 2021-Mon 8 Mar, 2021
Frances Morris was appointed Director of Tate Modern in April 2017. She has played a key role in the development of Tate over decades, joining as a curator in 1987, becoming Head of Displays at Tate Modern (2000–2006) and then Director of Collection, International Art until she was appointed to her current role. She has continually worked to re-imagine Tate’s collection and has been instrumental in developing its international reach and its representation of women artists.
Frances was jointly responsible for the initial presentation of the opening collection displays at Tate Modern in 2000, which radically transformed the way in which museums present the story of modern art. She has curated landmark exhibitions, many of which were large-scale international collaborations, including three major retrospectives of women artists, Louise Bourgeois in 2007, Yayoi Kusama in 2012 and Agnes Martin in 2015.
The lecture by Frances Morris is part of a dynamic series involving museum directors from the UK and abroad, and is aiming to spark a lively exchange on the issues facing museums, and those who lead them; the series has been organised by Martin Caiger-Smith, Head of MA Curating, and Professor Deborah Swallow, Director of The Courtauld.
In the last few years there have been a number of high-profile appointments in the leadership of museums. The opportunities and challenges this new generation of museum directors face are many: how to re-purpose or extend existing museum buildings; how to attract new audiences and engage existing ones at local, national, and international levels; how to serve artists and conserve art, rethink the purpose and range of collections and programmes, and face the digital future; and how to secure and increase funding in an increasingly tough and complex environment. The speakers will consider these and other questions, reassess the role of the museum in society in the 21st century, and discuss their own plans, and aspirations for the future.
Facing the Future: Museums and the Next Generation Lecture Series
Confirmed dates and speakers
9 November 2016 Frances Morris (Courtauld MA 1983), Director Tate Modern
5 December 2016 Dr Nicholas Cullinan (Courtauld BA 2002; MA 2003; PhD010), Director, National Portrait Gallery
16 January 2017 Taco Dibbits, Director, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
6 February 2017 Dr Gabriele Finaldi (Courtauld BA 1987; MA1989; PhD 1995), Director National Gallery
6 March 2017 Dr Maria Balshaw, Director of the Whitworth, University of Manchester and Manchester City Galleries, which includes Manchester Art Gallery and Gallery of Costume
Lectures will take place in The Kenneth Clark Lecture Theatre at The Courtauld Institute at 18.30 and will be followed by a drinks reception.
Priority Booking
Friends and SCS members will have priority booking for this series of Friends Lectures. Priority Booking for the Frances Morris’ lecture on 9 November is open between 16.00 on 25 October and 17.30 on 27 October. Afterwards it is open to the general public. Book now
Priority booking for the second lecture by Dr Nicholas Cullinan will be from 9.30 on 21 November to 17.30 on 28 November.
For the lectures in 2017 booking will open approximately one month in advance, with one-week priority booking for Friends and SCS members. An email will be sent to all current members with a password.
Podcasts of each lecture will be available on-line afterwards
How to Book
To access to priority booking, please use the password sent to you by email.
If you have any difficulty booking, please contact Dr James Cameron or Lara Frentrop, administrative assistants in the Research Forum, on 020 7848 2909.
Please reserve your place early to avoid disappointment for what we expect to be a very popular series. Tickets will be available at the door for seats that remain available after the booking period or vacant on the day.