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11 Mar 2020

Jenny Waldman joins Art Fund as new director

Jenny Waldman has been named the successor to Stephen Deuchar, as Art Fund director, with the former director of the highly-successful 14-18 NOW campaign set to take up the position on 6 April.

The official art programme for the First World War Centenary, 14-18 NOW commissioned more than 100 works from world-renowned contemporary artists. Among these were Jeremy Deller, who created a tribute to the Somme and Sir Peter Jackson, who created the award-winning film They Shall Not Grow Old.

Waldman also acted as creative producer for the London 2012 Festival – the finale of the Cultural Olympiad for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. From 1999 to 2011, she was Public Programmes Consultant to Somerset House Trust, where she developed its highly successful outdoor concert and film seasons, as well commissioning site-specific
art installations. She has also commissioned large-scale performing arts events for Tate
Modern and Tate Britain.

"I’m absolutely delighted that Jenny will lead Art Fund into its next phase of development," said Lord Chris Smith, Art Fund chair. "She joins a thriving organisation with an expanding membership and ever-increasing influence in the UK arts and museums sector. Her experience of working with artists and museums, and her outstanding track record at a national level, will be invaluable as we take on the challenges of the future."

Waldman will take up her new post officially on 6 April, starting full time from 11 May.

"It’s a great honour and very exciting to join Art Fund at this point in its 117-year history," she said. "Art Fund plays a crucial role in supporting museums and galleries across the UK and the opportunity to build on the impressive work that Stephen Deuchar and his team have done over the past decade is inspiring."

The Art Fund – an independent membership-based charity – was founded in 1903 to aid the acquisition of artworks for British museums, galleries and historic houses. It gives grants and acts as a channel for many gifts and bequests, as well as lobbying on behalf of museums and galleries and their users. Its latest membership figures stand at 159,000, a rise of 5 per cent in the last year.