The British Council has appointed Emma Dexter – currently exhibitions director at Timothy Taylor Gallery, London – as its new director of visual arts. She will join the British Council in September, replacing Andrea Rose who is leaving after 20 years in the role.
As visual arts director, Dexter will lead on the British Council’s work promoting the work of UK visual artists to the rest of the world. As part of this, she will oversee a programme of international exhibitions including the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale – which in 2015 presents work by Sarah Lucas. Dexter will also be responsible for running the British Council Collection, consisting of over 8,500 works of British art which are exhibited worldwide.
Dexter has been at Timothy Taylor Gallery since 2007. Prior to this she spent seven years as senior curator at Tate Modern (2000-2007), ten years as director of exhibitions at the ICA during the 1990s, and a period as director of Chisenhale Gallery (1988-1990).
Dexter said: “The British Council Pavilion for the Venice Biennale has always been a benchmark for me as a curator, for the highest standards of selection and display of the very best of British visual art practice. I am delighted that I have been given the opportunity to share my passion for British visual culture with a global audience.”
