Tate Names Dia Leader Jessica Morgan as Next Director

Tate’s board of trustees announced that Jessica Morgan will serve as the next director of the museum network starting in 2027. Morgan returns to London after leading the Dia Art Foundation for over a decade. Her previous experience includes a 12-year stint at Tate where she served as curator of international art at Tate Modern.

Morgan takes over during a critical transition period for the institution. Her predecessor Maria Balshaw left in 2025 following a tenure marked by budget deficits and staff strikes. Attendance figures saw a 27 percent decline at the London sites compared to 2019 although recent exhibitions have brought an upswing in ticket sales and public interest.

During her time in the United States Morgan expanded the Dia Art Foundation’s collection to include work by over 50 additional artists with a focus on women and people of color. She also secured over 100 million dollars in endowment growth and oversaw the renovation of Dia Chelsea. Her leadership at Dia also included navigating union contract negotiations which secured wage increases and job security provisions for staff members.

Tate board chairman Roland Rudd noted that Morgan’s work at Dia provides a strong foundation for the challenges ahead in London. She arrives as the institution prepares for the reopening of Tate Liverpool and seeks to sustain the momentum created by recent successful exhibitions.