The director of BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, Godfrey Worsdale, will leave his position in July 2015 to take up the role of director at The Henry Moore Foundation, in Leeds.
“Godfrey has made an outstanding contribution to BALTIC during his seven year tenure as director,” BALTIC chairman Peter Buchan said in a statement to the press. “The strength of his reputation brought the illustrious Turner Prize to BALTIC, the first non-Tate venue to be accorded that privilege in 2011. It was under his guidance that BALTIC was shortlisted as Museum of the Year in 2013 and the gallery earlier this year welcomed its 6 millionth visitor,” he added.
Worsdale is to succeed Richard Calvocoressi, who is retiring after eight years in his role at the Henry Moore Foundation. The foundation was founded by Moore in 1977. With its main responsibilities being the preservation Moore’s legacy at his home in Hertfordshire and through exhibitions worldwide.
“The Henry Moore Foundation occupies a unique position in the art world’s ecology; not only in acknowledging Moore’s hugely significant contribution to the development of modernism and the history of sculpture, but also in delivering on his determination to enhance the wider public appreciation of visual art,” Worsdale said in a statement.
Like Henry Moore, Godfrey Worsdale grew up in Yorkshire. He trained as an art historian and conservator in London. Worsdale began his career at the British Museum in the early 90s. In 1994 he launched an independent exhibition space in London, called Cultural Instructions. Worsdale moved to Southampton City Art Gallery as curator in 1995, and was promoted to its director in 1998. In 2002 he became founding director of Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, and was later appointed director of BALTIC in 2008.