University of York in link-up with leading art institution Tate Britain

The university’s department of the history of art has developed the new accord with Tate Britain.

From this academic year, a curator from Tate Britain will be teaching a full MA module in the department every spring term.

Meanwhile, an art historian from York will spend an equivalent amount of time working on research and exhibition projects at Tate Britain.

The partnership, which will run initially for three years, is the first time Tate has entered into a curatorial exchange of this nature.

Prof Mark Hallett, the head of history of art at York, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for collaboration and exchange. It offers our MA students the chance to work with internationally renowned curators and for colleagues to pursue research in the world’s leading collection of British art.”

Judith Nesbitt, chief curator at Tate Britain, said: “As a former University of York student, I am especially pleased to welcome the new staff exchange.

“It will provide an exciting opportunity to introduce works from the Tate Collection to new generations of art history students. In turn, the visiting scholars from York promise to bring valuable skills and insights into Tate.”

The new partnership reinforces the university’s art department’s close relationship with Tate Britain. The two institutions are involved in the Arts and Humanities Research Council-supported three-year research project, Court, Country, City: British Art 1660-1735, currently being led by Prof Hallett and two colleagues from Tate Britain, Prof Nigel Llewellyn and Dr Martin Myrone.

The first visiting curator to participate in the new partnership is Karen Hearn, curator of 16th and 17th century British art at Tate Britain, who will teach a module entitled Painters And Painting In Tudor nd Stuart Britain’.

Meanwhile, Dr Jason Edwards, a reader in the department, will work closely with Tate colleagues on research relating to Victorian sculpture in an international context.