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CALLING TIME. The director of Tate in London, Maria Balshaw, will step down in spring 2026 after nearly a decade in the role, the institution said in a press release. Balshaw, who joined in 2017 after leading Manchester Art Gallery and the Whitworth, succeeded Nicholas Serota following his 29-year tenure. She called her time at Tate a privilege and said the institution is well positioned for new leadership. During her directorship, Balshaw oversaw major exhibitions including “Van Gogh and Britain,” “Yoko Ono,” and “Sargent and Fashion.” Her final project will be a large-scale Tracey Emin survey at Tate Modern next year. Tate highlighted Balshaw’s efforts to diversify the collection and expand its global scope, noting that membership grew to 150,000 under her leadership. Chair Roland Rudd praised her commitment to widening public access to art and supporting a broader range of artists. Balshaw’s departure comes amid financial strain. Tate has recently cut about 40 jobs to reduce costs and is operating with a deficit budget for 2024–25. Staff have staged walkouts over pay, citing poor working conditions. Visitor numbers also remain below pre-pandemic levels, with significant drops at <...>