MCA TO HOST KEYNOTE LECTURE BY DR MARIA BALSHAW CBE, TATE DIRECTOR Dr Maria Balshaw CBE, Director, Tate. Photograph: Hugo Glendinning [Sydney, 1 March 2018] On Tuesday 3 April (6-7.30pm), the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) will be hosting a special keynote lecture by Dr Maria Balshaw CBE, Director, Tate, looking into the “Challenges for the Art Museum in the 21st Century”. Dr Balshaw will reflect on the role of the museum in our contemporary context: as the world around us continues to change rapidly, what are our responsibilities to artists and audiences in an increasingly diverse global art scene? How do museums function as artistic and civic spaces in the 21st century? The keynote will include a Q&A with MCA Director Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE. Dr Balshaw will be travelling to Australia to unveil the 3rd round of artwork acquisitions for the MCA and Tate Collections, as part of our International Joint Acquisition Program supported by Qantas. This ground-breaking initiative aims to promote Australian art globally and help Australian artists to reach new audiences. Dr Balshaw CBE is Director of Tate, a role she has held since June 2017. She has overall responsibility for Tate’s strategic direction and day to day operations, working with a talented group of colleagues to further Tate’s mission to promote the public understanding and enjoyment of British art, and of international twentieth-century and contemporary art. Previously, as Director of the Whitworth, University of Manchester and Manchester City Galleries, Maria was responsible for the artistic and strategic vision for each gallery. During this period, Maria oversaw the £17 million transformation of the Whitworth, which was subsequently awarded the Art Fund Museum of the Year award for 2015. She was also Director of Culture for Manchester City Council from 2013-2017, played a leading role in establishing the city as a leading cultural centre for the U.K. Maria holds a BA in English Literature and Cultural Studies from the University of Liverpool, and an MA in Critical Theory and a DPhil in African American Visual and Literary Culture from the University of Sussex. She is a Board Member of Arts Council England, the Clore Leadership Programme and Manchester International Festival. Maria was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to the arts in June 2015. Keynote Lecture - Tuesday 3 April 2018, 6-7.15pm, MCA Foundation Hall Tickets $36 (concession) and $45 (general entry), available on MCA.COM.AU Media images accessible on Dropbox here. For any media enquiry or invitation to the keynote, please contact Stephanie Pirrie or Myriam Conrie [email protected] - [email protected] - Ph 02 9245 2417 / 2434.