Minutes of a meeting of the Board held on Thursday 2 February 2023
Present
John Booth (Chair)
Diana Berry
Katrin Henkel
Sir John Kingman KCB FRS
James Lambert OBE
Rosemary Leith
David Marks
Dounia Nadar
Tonya Nelson
Stuart Roden
Professor Molly Stevens FRS
Apologies
Catherine Goodman LVO
In attendance
Dr Gabriele Finaldi - Director
Paul Gray - Chief Operating Officer
Victoria Hayes - Secretary to the Board and Head of Governance
Andy Hibbert - Director of Finance and Resources
Larry Keith - Interim Director of Collections and Research
Jane Knowles - Interim Director of Public Engagement
Julie Molloy - Managing Director of National Gallery Global Ltd
Anh Nguyen - Director of Development
Christine Riding - Jacob Rothschild Head of the Curatorial Department and Curator of British Paintings (for items 1 and 4)
Christopher Riopelle - Curator of post-1800 paintings (for item 1)
Peter Schade - Head of Framing (for item1)
Karen Eslea - Head of Learning (for items 6 and 7)
James Beardsworth-Shaw - Head of Commercial Services (for item 8)
Sarah Younger - NG200 Project Director (for item 9)
1. Pictures for treatment
1.1. Information has been excluded under s.36 FOI 2000
1.2. The Interim Director of Collections and Research showed the Board Richard Wilson’s 'The Valley of the Dee with Chester in the Distance', NG6197, for which Trustees had an examination report. The Board approved the treatment proposed for the painting.
1.3. Trustees were also shown Matteo di Giovanni’s 'The Assumption of the Virgin', NG1155 and Parmigianino’s 'The Madonna and Child with Saints' (NG33) for which treatment is ongoing.
1.4. The Curator of post-1800 paintings presented Max Pechstein’s 'Bildnis Charlotte Cuhrt (Portrait of Charlotte Cuhrt)' NG6697 which Trustees had seen when it was first purchased in November. The Head of Framing said that since then, the painting was being displayed in the frame for which it was made, and which formed part of the acquisition and confirmed that it would shortly be going on public display.
2. Declarations of interest
2.1. There were no declarations of interest.
3. Minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2022 and matters arising
3.1. The Minutes were approved.
3.2. The actions are ongoing or complete.
4. Loans out paper
4.1. The Jacob Rothschild Head of the Curatorial Department presented the loans out paper, which was approved.
5. Director's report
5.1. The Director gave his presentation, which included a report on the year ahead.
5.2. He said that the year had started well, with the recent acquisition of Bernardo Cavallino’s 'Saint Bartholomew'.
5.3. He reported that the decant of the Sainsbury Wing was now complete, with about half of the paintings rehung in the main galleries.
5.4. He said that scaffolding was largely in place ready for completion of the cleaning of the façade.
6. Mid-term review of the Learning Strategy
6.1. The Head of Learning joined the meeting and gave her presentation.
6.2. Information has been excluded under s.36 and s.43 FOI 2000
7. Approval of Safeguarding Policy
7.1. The Head of Learning presented the updated Safeguarding Policy, which was approved.
8. Report on Pay What You Wish
8.1. The Head of Commercial Services joined the meeting and presented his paper. He said that the scheme had been introduced for 'The Credit Suisse Exhibition: Lucian Freud: New Perspectives' in response to the cost of living increases and had resulted in greatly increased visitor numbers on Friday evenings, when the scheme was being offered.
8.2-8.3. Information has been excluded under s.36 and s.43 FOI 2000.
8.4. He confirmed that scheme would be run during 'After Impressionism: Inventing Modern Art' for the same minimum price of £1, a decision the Board endorsed.
9. Update on NG200 Welcome
9.1. The NG200 Project Director joined the meeting and updated the Board on progress in the capital projects. She said that the Masterplan Committee had recently met and recommended that construction should begin in March.
9.2. The Board endorsed the Masterplan Committee’s recommendation to proceed to construction.
10. Report from the Managing Director of National Gallery Global Ltd
10.1. The Managing Director of National Gallery Global Ltd presented her report.
11. Committees of the Board and others reporting since the last Board meeting
11.1. The Board noted the Minutes of the Scientific Consultative Group on 7 November.
11.2. The Board noted the Minutes of the Nominations Committee held on 13 December and approved the appointment of a new Tate Liaison Trustee.
11.3. The Board noted the Minutes of Finance Committee held on 13 December, approved the recommendation that a new member join the Committee and noted her curriculum vitae which was tabled at the meeting.
11.4. The Board noted the Minutes of the Audit Committee held on 13 December.
11.5. The Board noted the Minutes of the Ethics Committee held on 13 December.
11.6. The Board noted the Minutes of the Masterplan Committee held on 23 January.
11.7. The Board noted the Minutes of the Digital Advisory Board held on 26 January.
12. Management Accounts and Development Report
12.1. The Director of Finance and Resources presented the Accounts.
12.2. The Director of Development presented the Development Report.
13. Any other business
None.