Nicholas Serota

Nicholas Serota
Name	Nicholas Serota
Caption	Serota in 2017
Birth date	27 April 1946
Birth place	Hampstead, London, England
Education	Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
Alma mater	Christ's College, Cambridge, Courtauld Institute of Art
Occupation	Arts administrator
Known for	Director of the Tate (1988–2017), Chair of Arts Council England (2017–2022)
Spouse	Teresa Gleadowe (m. 1974; div. 1990), Angela Beveridge (m. 1990; div. 2000), Rebecca Salter (m. 2016)

Nicholas Serota is a prominent British arts administrator who served as the director of the Tate galleries for nearly three decades, profoundly shaping the institution and the nation's cultural landscape. He later chaired Arts Council England, overseeing national arts funding and policy. His career is distinguished by a commitment to expanding the public's engagement with modern and contemporary art, championing artists from J.M.W. Turner to Anish Kapoor.

Early life and education

Born in Hampstead, he was educated at the Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School before studying economics at Christ's College, Cambridge. He subsequently pursued art history at the Courtauld Institute of Art, where he was influenced by scholars like Anthony Blunt. His early professional experience included a curatorial role at the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, working under figures such as David Elliott.

Career at the Tate

Appointed director of the Tate Gallery in 1988, he spearheaded its transformation into a family of distinct institutions: Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool, and Tate St Ives. The 2000 opening of Tate Modern in the converted Bankside Power Station, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, was a landmark achievement that redefined the museum experience and boosted tourism in Southwark. Under his leadership, the Tate's collection expanded significantly, with major acquisitions of works by artists like Francis Bacon, Mark Rothko, and Louise Bourgeois. He also initiated the prestigious Turner Prize, which became a major event in the contemporary art calendar, despite occasional controversy.

Directorship of the Arts Council England

In 2017, he became chair of Arts Council England, succeeding Sir Peter Bazalgette. In this role, he oversaw the allocation of government and National Lottery funding to organizations across the performing arts, museums, and libraries. His tenure focused on promoting cultural investment outside London, supporting institutions like the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester. He navigated significant challenges, including the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cultural sector.

Other roles and activities

Beyond his primary roles, he has served as a trustee for numerous institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art. He chaired the jury for the Stirling Prize for architecture and has been a key figure in commissions for public art, advocating for works in spaces like Trafalgar Square. He also contributed to advisory boards for the British Council and the Government Art Collection.

Honours and recognition

He was appointed a Knight Bachelor in 1999 for services to art and was made a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in the 2013 New Year Honours. He has received honorary degrees from universities including the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and the Royal College of Art. Other accolades include the International Folkwang Prize and the Wolfgang Hahn Prize.

Personal life

He has been married three times: first to curator Teresa Gleadowe, then to arts administrator Angela Beveridge, and since 2016 to artist Rebecca Salter, who serves as President of the Royal Academy of Arts. He has two daughters. A noted collector, his personal interests include the works of Eugène Atget and Walter Sickert.

Category:British arts administrators Category:1946 births Category:People educated at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School Category:Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge Category:Alumni of the Courtauld Institute of Art