Sally Tallant, the former director of the Liverpool Biennial, has been appointed as the new director of the Hayward Gallery and visual arts at London’s Southbank Centre. Tallant, who is currently in charge of the Queens Museum in New York, will return to the UK to take over from Ralph Rugoff, who is stepping down after two decades leading the institution, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.
The Leeds-born Tallant has been in the US since 2019 after an eight-year stint in charge of the Liverpool Biennial and more than a decade working at the Serpentine Gallery, where she was head of programmes until 2011. She expressed her delight at returning to London and excitement to build on the “outstanding legacy” of Rugoff, who also took charge of the Venice Biennale in 2019. Tallant said she was looking forward to “shaping the next chapter of this vital cultural destination and civic institution.”
The move marks the end of speculation over who would secure one of the most sought-after jobs in the arts, with the Southbank Centre attracting around 3.7 million visitors annually. Tallant has made accessibility a hallmark of her previous roles. In a 2021 interview, she stated, “I want to be a part of making sure art and arts institutions are relevant and accessible to everyone, especially those who have been historically and systemically excluded because of class, race, gender, disability and sexuality.”
Tallant will take over in July, when the 75th birthday celebrations at the Southbank Centre are underway. These festivities will include Danny Boyle’s “You Are Here” project, which will see thousands of participants take over the site in a celebration of the institution’s role in “supporting youth culture since its inception.” There will also be a landmark Anish Kapoor exhibition at the Hayward, with the institution’s leaders hoping the celebrations will galvanise the country in the same way the original Festival of Britain did in 1951.
Tallant joins an institution facing significant challenges. In 2024, the Southbank Centre’s CEO, Elaine Bedell, spoke about the need to find £50 million to renovate its dated infrastructure after its Arts Council funding was cut by 41% in real terms over the past decade. However, Bedell expressed confidence in Tallant’s appointment, stating that she would take the “helm of a gallery that has defined global contemporary art for 60 years.”
Misan Harriman, the chair of the Southbank Centre, said Tallant’s appointment “marks an inspiring new chapter” and that during a crucial year for the institution “it is essential that we reflect the courage and creativity of the world we live in today.” Tallant’s track record, which includes commissioning artists such as Rashid Johnson during her time in New York and working with a diverse range of renowned artists during her four editions of the Liverpool Biennial, suggests she is well-equipped to lead the Hayward Gallery into the future.
