Minutes of the Board meeting held on Thursday 25 March 2021 at 2pm via Zoom
Present
Lord Hall of Birkenhead (Chair)
John Booth
Catherine Goodman
Katrin Henkel
Sir John Kingman
Rosemary Leith
David Marks
Tonya Nelson
Stuart Roden
Charles Sebag-Montefiore
Professor Molly Stevens
Apologies
John Singer
In attendance
Dr Gabriele Finaldi - Director
Chloe Brand - Acting Head of Development
Dr Caroline Campbell - Director of Collections and Research
Dr Susan Foister - Deputy Director
Paul Gray - Chief Operating Officer
Victoria Hayes - Secretary to the Board and Head of Governance
Andy Hibbert - Director of Finance
Chris Michaels - Director of Digital, Communications and Technology
Julie Molloy - Managing Director of National Gallery Company Limited
Anh Nguyen - Director of Development
Larry Keith - Head of Conservation and Keeper (for item 1)
Daniel Herrmann - Curator of Modern & Contemporary Projects (for item 9)
1. Pictures for treatment
The Head of Conservation and Keeper joined the meeting from the conservation studio via Zoom.
1.1. The Board saw, following cleaning and restoration, Peter Paul Rubens's 'An Autumn Landscape with a View of Het Steen in the Early Morning' (NG66). The Head of Conservation and Keeper said that it was one of a pair of pictures which had hung in Rubens’s house and that in addition to cleaning the painting, it had a new frame and structural improvements had been made to it. The Board approved the painting as ready to go back on display.
1.2. Information has been excluded under s.22 FOI 2000.
2. Declarations of interest
2.1. The Deputy Chair said that he was on the Board of UKRI, of whom AHRC was a subsidiary.
3. Minutes of the meeting held on 28 January and matters arising
3.1. The Minutes were approved.
3.2. Information has been excluded under s.36 and s.43 FOI 2000
4. Loans out
4.1. The Director of Collections and Research presented the loans out paper, which was approved.
5. Director's report
5.1. The Director gave his presentation. He said that it remained the Gallery’s intention to re-open on 17 May, although he wasn’t expecting official confirmation until nearer the time.
5.2. He said that unfortunately the Take One Picture exhibition had only been open for two weeks, but that some of the artwork had been displayed on 60 digital billboards across England and Scotland in the first couple of weeks of March, thanks to a partnership with Ocean Outdoor. He said that there were filmed tours of the exhibition and resources online.
5.3. He said that the exhibition 'Sensing the Unseen: Step into Gossaert’s 'Adoration'' would remain on display when the Gallery re-opened in May.
5.4. Despite the Gallery being closed, the Director said that much work continued behind the scenes, with refurbishment and repairs to some galleries taking place.
6. National Gallery strategy 2021-2026: Summary version
6.1. The Director presented the paper. He said that the Board had approved a longer version of the strategy in January and had asked that it be worked into a form that could be published.
6.2. Information has been excluded under s.22 & s.43 FOI 2000.
6.3. The Board approved the paper.
7. National Gallery strategy 2021-2026: Research for public benefit
7.1. The Director of Collections and Research gave her presentation. The Chair thanked her for a clear and thoughtful paper and presentation. There was a discussion about the strategy.
7.2. Information had been excluded under s.22, s36 and s43 FOI 2000.
7.3. A Trustee asked how outreach and impact might be measured. The Director of Collections and Research said that there was a robust framework in place for measuring and evaluating audiences which would be applied to research.
7.4. A Trustee echoed an earlier comment that the paper might articulate the teaching and learning aspect more clearly.
7.5. A Trustee asked about the physical footprint of the library and how the current space may be enlarged. The Director of Collections and Research confirmed that a detailed space appraisal would be presented to the Masterplan Committee, which would explore all options.
7.6-7.7. Information has been excluded under s.22 & s.43 FOI 2000.
7.8. The Board approved the strategy.
8. National Gallery strategy 2021-2026: Overview of fundraising strategy
8.1. The Director of Development gave her presentation. The Chair said that the fundraising climate post pandemic would be tough and thanked the Director of Development for a strong paper. He said that he and the Director, along with the whole Board were fully committed to supporting a fundraising campaign for the NG200 project.
8.2-8.4. Information had been excluded under s.43 FOI 2000.
9. Update on contemporary programme
9.1. The Curator of Modern & Contemporary Projects gave his presentation. He said that the Board had approved the contemporary programme in 2018 and that the Gallery was uniquely placed to enable contemporary artists to look at and respond to paintings and the history of painting through the entire genre and that the contemporary programme offered a platform from which to build different audiences. He said that it fitted into the broader programme of the Gallery and presented the opportunity to work with other galleries and gallerists.
9.2. The Curator of Modern & Contemporary Projects said that the programme had succeeded in bringing in different audiences and that it was important not only to satisfy current audiences but also to encourage and retain new audiences.
10. Committees of the Board
10.1. The Board noted the Minutes of the Masterplan Committee of 18 January and 9 February. The Chair of the Masterplan Committee gave an update on the NG200 capital projects and said that a competition to find an architect had been launched on 16 February and was being run by Malcolm Reading Consultants. He said that a selection panel had been chosen to draw up a shortlist of architects once the competition closed. He said that the Chair would chair the panel, with himself, the Director, Tonya Nelson, Ben Bolgar from The Prince’s Foundation, Jane Wernick and Edwin Heathcote being the other members. He said that the first stage was going well and that a winner would be appointed by July.
10.2. The Board noted the Minutes of the Development Committee held on 19 January.
10.3. The Board noted the Minutes of the Digital Advisory Board held on 3 February.
10.4. The Board noted the Minutes of the Governance Committee of 2 February and 25 February. Information has been excluded under s36 FOI 2000. The Chair of the Governance Committee said that at the meeting on 25 February, the Committee had reviewed the recommendations arising from the 2020 Board Effectiveness Survey, and that good progress was being made.
10.5. The Board noted the Minutes of the Audit and Finance Committee held on 16 March.
11. Report from the Managing Director of the National Gallery Company
11.1. The Managing Director of the National Gallery Company said that overall, the Company had performed better than expected, particularly in e-commerce, licensing and sales of seasonal merchandise and that costs had been well managed but that there continued to be much uncertainty.
11.2. Information has been excluded under s43 FOI 2000.
12. Approval of National Gallery Trust (NGT)/National Gallery Deed of Gift
12.1. The Board approved the Deed of Gift and authorised the Director to sign and seal it on their behalf.
13. Budget and 2021-2026 five-year plan
13.1. The Director of Finance presented the budget, which he said had been discussed in Finance Committee on 16 March. He said that 2020-2022 would be tough years but that emergency funding from DCMS would help the Gallery break even in the current financial year.
13.2. Information has been excluded under s43 FOI 2000
14. Summary of funds held in NGT Foundation, NGT, American Friends of the National Gallery London (AFNGL)
14.1. The Director of Finance presented the paper which was for information
15. Management Accounts and Development Summary
15.1. The Director of Finance presented the Summary.
15.2. Information has been excluded under s43 FOI 2000
16. Any other business
None