Tate St Ives wins Art Fund Museum of the Year 2018

Tate St Ives has been announced as Art Fund Museum of the Year 2018, the largest and most prestigious museum prize in the world. Anne Barlow, director of Tate St Ives, was presented with the £100,000 prize by artist Isaac Julien and the ‘world’s best teacher’ Andria Zafirakou at an award ceremony at the V&A, London.

The winner was chosen from five finalists: Brooklands Museum (Weybridge), Ferens Art Gallery (Hull), Glasgow Women’s Library, The Postal Museum (London) and Tate St Ives (Cornwall). Each of the other finalist museums received a £10,000 prize in recognition of their achievements.

Among the 400 guests at the dinner hosted by Stephen Deuchar, director of Art Fund, were artists Chantal Joffe, Grayson Perry, Yinka Shonibare and Gillian Wearing, as well as art world leaders Maria Balshaw, Tristam Hunt and Frances Morris.

The Art Fund Museum of the Year 2018 judging panel was made up Ian Blatchford, director of the Science Museum Group; Rebecca Jones, BBC arts correspondent; Melanie Manchot, artist; Monisha Shah, independent media consultant and Art Fund trustee; and Stephen Deuchar (chair), Art Fund director.

Art Fund Museum of the Year recognises museums that have undertaken transformative projects; brought their collections to life for audiences in exceptional ways; delivered an innovative programme of audience development, learning or outreach; and won the support of their visitors. Previous winners include the Hepworth Wakefield (2017), V&A, London (2016), the Whitworth, Manchester (2015), and Yorkshire Sculpture Park (2014).

Image on top: Tate St Ives, Image: Marc Atkins