Alistair Hudson appointed director of the Whitworth and Manchester Art Gallery
Director of the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art succeeds Maria Balshaw
Alistair Hudson, the director of the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (Mima), has been appointed as the new director of the Whitworth and Manchester Art Gallery.
He will take up the role in the new year, succeeding Maria Balshaw who left to lead Tate as director earlier this year.
“I am completely thrilled to be taking up this post in Manchester,” Hudson said in a statement. “The city’s cultural scene is one of the most dynamic and diverse in the country and Manchester Art Gallery and the Whitworth are at the heart of this. Maria Balshaw and her teams have established both institutions at the forefront of the democratisation of art, working for all of society.
“I look forward to driving this mission forward and working across the region in projects that have real impact in people’s lives.”
The dual directorship role of the Whitworth and Manchester Art Gallery has been in place for the past five years, and is a partnership between the University of Manchester and Manchester City Council.
In addition to leading both these organisations, Balshaw was also the director of culture for Manchester City Council. But Luthfur Rahman, Manchester City Council executive member for schools, culture and leisure, confirmed that Hudson would not take on this role.
“We are currently considering exactly how that role can be filled to best serve the cultural needs of Manchester and will be discussing it with Manchester's cultural leaders later this month," Rahman added.
In his three years at Mima, Hudson led a new vision for the organisation as an accessible, community-based “useful museum”. He previously worked as the projects curator at the Government Art Collection and the deputy director of Grizedale Arts in the Lake District.
He is also chair of Culture Forum North, an open network of partnerships between Higher Education and the cultural sector across the North, co-director of the Asociación de Arte Útil and one of three theme coordinators at this year’s Museums Association Conference and Exhibition in Manchester, overseeing sessions themed around audiences.
Links
Museums Association Conference and Exhibition 2017
Update 13/10/2017
This article was updated with further details about the additional role of director of culture for Manchester City Council.
He will take up the role in the new year, succeeding Maria Balshaw who left to lead Tate as director earlier this year.
“I am completely thrilled to be taking up this post in Manchester,” Hudson said in a statement. “The city’s cultural scene is one of the most dynamic and diverse in the country and Manchester Art Gallery and the Whitworth are at the heart of this. Maria Balshaw and her teams have established both institutions at the forefront of the democratisation of art, working for all of society.
“I look forward to driving this mission forward and working across the region in projects that have real impact in people’s lives.”
The dual directorship role of the Whitworth and Manchester Art Gallery has been in place for the past five years, and is a partnership between the University of Manchester and Manchester City Council.
In addition to leading both these organisations, Balshaw was also the director of culture for Manchester City Council. But Luthfur Rahman, Manchester City Council executive member for schools, culture and leisure, confirmed that Hudson would not take on this role.
“We are currently considering exactly how that role can be filled to best serve the cultural needs of Manchester and will be discussing it with Manchester's cultural leaders later this month," Rahman added.
In his three years at Mima, Hudson led a new vision for the organisation as an accessible, community-based “useful museum”. He previously worked as the projects curator at the Government Art Collection and the deputy director of Grizedale Arts in the Lake District.
He is also chair of Culture Forum North, an open network of partnerships between Higher Education and the cultural sector across the North, co-director of the Asociación de Arte Útil and one of three theme coordinators at this year’s Museums Association Conference and Exhibition in Manchester, overseeing sessions themed around audiences.
Links
Museums Association Conference and Exhibition 2017
Update 13/10/2017
This article was updated with further details about the additional role of director of culture for Manchester City Council.