Tate St Ives opens £20m new building

Tate has opened its new £20 million gallery “sunk into the cliff” in St Ives.

The four-year building project has doubled the space for art at the venue, adding almost 600 square metres of galleries.

Tate St Ives attracts around 250,000 visitors a year, over triple the number for which it was originally designed.

The new gallery, which stands alongside the original building, has been backed by National Lottery, government and private funding.

Designed by Jamie Fobert Architects, it will allow Tate St Ives to stay open all year round, without closing when exhibitions change.

Forthcoming events include a retrospective of Patrick Heron’s vibrant paintings and an exhibition of female artists inspired by Virginia Woolf.

The lighthouse in St Ives was the inspiration for Woolf’s famous novel, To The Lighthouse.

The original building, which has been refurbished, will explore modern art in St Ives and its relationship with the wider world.

Tate director Maria Balshaw said: “These beautiful galleries showcase some of the extraordinary artists who made St Ives their home across the 20th century, as well as bringing some of the world’s most exciting contemporary art to Cornwall with Rebecca Warren’s epic exhibition.

“Tate St Ives is a much-loved part of the local community and of the Tate family, and I look forward to it playing an expanded role in Britain’s cultural landscape.”

Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said: “This extraordinary £20 million project has transformed Tate St Ives, ensuring its place as a truly world-class gallery.”