Galleries gain access to Tate collections

Oct 25 2010 The Journal

BALTIC in Gateshead and mima in Middlesbrough are among 18 of the country’s "most dynamic" arts institutions involved in a new partnership arrangement with Tate.

Plus Tate was launched at Tate Modern in London the day after the announcement of the Chancellor’s comprehensive spending review in the Commons.

Doing the honours at Tate Modern was Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt who spoke bullishly of the previous day’s "good spending settlement for the arts".

Given that it involves a near 30% cut over the next three years and the full impact of it is yet to emerge, many in the arts will want to reserve judgement on that.

But Plus Tate, which was piloted in 2009 as Tate Connects, was being hailed as good news in the North East.

Kate Brindley, director of museums and galleries for Middlesbrough Council, said: "Tate is the UK’s leading international arts organisation so the fact that they have entered into a partnership with mima is a huge endorsement of our quality and ambition."

She added: "On a practical level it brings us tremendous opportunities – everything from loans of Tate collections and exhibitions through to the sharing of expertise."

Baltic was able to show work by Damien Hirst last year as part of Tate Connects and director Godfrey Worsdale said the Plus Tate initiative would also prove beneficial.

Nicholas Serota, director of Tate, which has galleries in London, Liverpool and Cornwall, said Plus Tate was central to Tate’s vision.

He said that Tate would "strengthen the hand" of the regional galleries while also "tapping into their particular expertise".