Sally Tallant, currently director of the Queens Museum in New York, has been appointed director of the Hayward Gallery and visual arts at the Southbank Centre in London. She will succeed Ralph Rugoff, who steps down in spring after 20 years. Tallant previously worked as an assistant curator at the Hayward in 2001 and later led the Liverpool Biennial from 2011 to 2019. She will begin her new role in July, while Rugoff will oversee a major Anish Kapoor retrospective opening in June.
This appointment matters because Tallant brings extensive experience in both institutional leadership and large-scale capital projects, including a $65m campaign at the Queens Museum that added art storage, an auditorium, and conservation facilities. Her return to London comes during the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary year, positioning her to shape the next chapter of one of the UK’s most prominent contemporary art venues. The transition also highlights the ongoing transatlantic exchange of top museum leadership talent.