Southbank Centre's Hayward Gallery Appoints Sally Tallant as New Director
Sally Tallant, former boss of Liverpool Biennial, has been appointed as the new director of London's renowned Hayward Gallery and visual arts at Southbank Centre. The 75-year-old institution is celebrating its anniversary this year, with Tallant taking over from Ralph Rugoff, who will step down after two decades in charge.
Born in Leeds, Tallant has spent over a decade working at the Serpentine Gallery, where she was head of programmes until 2011. She moved to New York in 2019 and is currently the director of the Queens Museum. Her appointment marks an exciting new chapter for the Southbank Centre, which welcomes about 3.7 million visitors annually.
Tallant's passion for accessibility has been a hallmark of her previous roles. In a 2021 interview, she stated: "I want to be part of making sure art and arts institutions are relevant and accessible to everyone." As director of the Hayward Gallery, Tallant is keen to build on Rugoff's outstanding legacy, shaping the next chapter of this vital cultural destination.
Tallant joins an institution facing challenges. The Southbank Centre needs £50m to renovate its dated infrastructure after Arts Council funding was cut by 41% in real terms over the past decade. However, Tallant is expected to inject new energy into the gallery with a landmark Anish Kapoor exhibition and the You Are Here festival, which will see thousands of participants take over the site.
Misan Harriman, chair of the Southbank Centre, hailed Tallant's appointment as an "inspiring new chapter" for the institution. Mark Ball, artistic director, is looking forward to seeing Tallant bring the Hayward Gallery "into the future with a spirit of openness, energy and radical accessibility."
Sally Tallant, former boss of Liverpool Biennial, has been appointed as the new director of London's renowned Hayward Gallery and visual arts at Southbank Centre. The 75-year-old institution is celebrating its anniversary this year, with Tallant taking over from Ralph Rugoff, who will step down after two decades in charge.
Born in Leeds, Tallant has spent over a decade working at the Serpentine Gallery, where she was head of programmes until 2011. She moved to New York in 2019 and is currently the director of the Queens Museum. Her appointment marks an exciting new chapter for the Southbank Centre, which welcomes about 3.7 million visitors annually.
Tallant's passion for accessibility has been a hallmark of her previous roles. In a 2021 interview, she stated: "I want to be part of making sure art and arts institutions are relevant and accessible to everyone." As director of the Hayward Gallery, Tallant is keen to build on Rugoff's outstanding legacy, shaping the next chapter of this vital cultural destination.
Tallant joins an institution facing challenges. The Southbank Centre needs £50m to renovate its dated infrastructure after Arts Council funding was cut by 41% in real terms over the past decade. However, Tallant is expected to inject new energy into the gallery with a landmark Anish Kapoor exhibition and the You Are Here festival, which will see thousands of participants take over the site.
Misan Harriman, chair of the Southbank Centre, hailed Tallant's appointment as an "inspiring new chapter" for the institution. Mark Ball, artistic director, is looking forward to seeing Tallant bring the Hayward Gallery "into the future with a spirit of openness, energy and radical accessibility."
. Sally Tallant seems like she'll shake things up without messing with what's already good. The fact that she's all about making art accessible to everyone is a major plus imo 
. And with Anish Kapoor exhibition and You Are Here festival coming up, I hope they can get some of that £50m renovation sorted ASAP 
. Wouldn’t want the Southbank Centre to be stuck in old stuff for much longer 
.
. Don't get me wrong, she seems like a great person and all, but I'm worried it might be hard for her to make an impact on her first day 
.
. I hope Sally Tallant can make some magic happen with that landmark Anish Kapoor exhibition and the You Are Here festival 
. Fingers crossed for her! 
it's about time we see more people from all walks of life enjoying the arts. and with Anish Kapoor exhibition and You Are Here festival, I can already imagine the energy going to be electric 
but, gotta wonder how they're gonna tackle that £50m renovation bill 
fingers crossed she brings some innovative solutions to the table 
. and can't wait for that anish kapoor exhibition - genius 
! even though the southbank centre is facing some financial challenges, i'm sure tallant will bring her A-game and make it shine again 
. fingers crossed for a bright future at the hayward gallery! 
! She's all about making art more accessible, which is like, super important in today's world. I mean, we should be able to enjoy culture without breaking the bank or having to navigate crazy crowds. It's awesome that she's got some big plans to shake things up and bring some fresh energy to the space 
. Can't wait to see what she does with her new role!