National Gallery Plans £375 Million Modern Art Expansion Raising Tate Tensions

The National Gallery has announced a £375 million expansion project, Project Domani, which will break a long-standing rule by collecting and exhibiting art made after 1900, traditionally the domain of the Tate. This move, intended to tell a more continuous story of painting and modern art, has led to a renegotiation of an agreement that previously divided collections between the two institutions and risks reigniting a historic rivalry. While Tate director Maria Balshaw has publicly welcomed the collaboration and the formation of a joint working group, senior sources within Tate express concerns about increased competition for acquisitions and potential 'bad blood' reminiscent of tensions from the 1970s. Some Tate staff sympathize with the National Gallery's perspective that the 1900 cutoff is increasingly arbitrary, but others worry about the impact on the national collection. The debate also touches on financial realities, as acquiring modern masterpieces can be extremely costly, possibly complicating the National Gallery's ambitions despite the significant funding secured. Overall, the situation highlights challenges in balancing institutional identities and cooperation amid evolving public engagement with art in the digital age.