Courtauld announces new Artists Advisory Council

The Courtauld today announced its new Artists Advisory Council (AAC), a group of leading artists, designers and architects who will help to shape and inform the Courtauld’s strategies across the full spectrum of its activities.

The Courtauld’s Artists Advisory Council includes renowned visual artists, Dame Sonia Boyce DBE RA, Sir Antony Gormley, Rachel Jones, Elizabeth Price and Megan Rooney, alongside leading architects Thomas Heatherwick CBE RA RDI of Heatherwick Studio and Stephen Witherford of the award-winning architects Witherford Watson Mann. The AAC is chaired by Tim Marlow OBE (MA, 1988; PhD 1991), Director and Chief Executive of the Design Museum, London.

The Artists Advisory Council will have a particular focus on developing the offering of contemporary art at the Courtauld, which has significantly expanded since the transformation of its Gallery in 2021, with successful exhibitions dedicated to Peter Doig and Claudette Johnson, and a major commission by Cecily Brown. The Courtauld launched a new annual commission for The John Browne Entrance Hall in 2025 with new works by Rachel Jones; the 2026 commission features new works by Ella Walker. The first UK solo exhibition of acclaimed New York painter Salman Toor opened at the Courtauld Gallery on 2 October 2026.

Last year, the Courtauld announced its plans to create a new world-class campus at Somerset House in London, a major development which will strengthen its position as a leading global centre for the visual arts.  As the Courtauld approaches its centenary in 2032, this next milestone in its history will see the transformation of its historic Grade I listed building at Somerset House, creating a flexible, state-of-the-art campus and securing the Courtauld’s legacy for the next 100 years.

The Courtauld’s new Blavatnik Contemporary Galleries, opening in 2029, will also provide a distinctive space for visitors and students to experience contemporary art through special exhibitions, commissions, and events. The Galleries will champion advanced and original forms of artistic practice and offer fresh perspectives on the most compelling and influential developments in contemporary art. The galleries will also be a site for experimentation and collective learning for the students on the Courtauld Institute’s MA in Curating, who will play a significant role in delivering the programme.

With a masterplan by the architects Witherford Watson Mann, and designed in collaboration with Purcell and Lawson Ward Studio, the new Courtauld Campus is expected to open in 2029.

Mark Hallett, Märit Rausing Director of the Courtauld, said: “Our new Artists Advisory Council will play a vital role in shaping the future of the Courtauld and in guiding our expanded presentation of contemporary artists’ work within the new Courtauld Campus.”

Sir Antony Gormley, artist, said: “I am honoured to be an inaugural member of the Courtauld’s Artists Advisory Council. The Courtauld is one of our most important cultural institutions and a world-leading centre for the teaching and research of art history. I look forward to helping support and guide their efforts to open up art and art education to the widest possible audience.”

Rachel Jones, artist, said: “It is an honour to be part of the Artists Advisory Council at such an important time in the Courtauld’s history, and to serve as an advocate for the importance of both art history and contemporary art in shaping the Courtauld’s future.”