Minutes of a meeting of the Board held on Thursday 25 May 2023
Present
John Booth (Chair)
Diana Berry
Catherine Goodman LVO
Katrin Henkel
Sir John Kingman KCB FRS (via Zoom for item 2)
James Lambert OBE
Rosemary Leith
David Marks
Dounia Nadar
Rosalind Nashashibi
Tonya Nelson
Stuart Roden
Professor Molly Stevens FRS
Apologies
In attendance
Dr Gabriele Finaldi - Director
Paul Gray - Chief Operating Officer
Victoria Hayes - Secretary to the Board and Head of Governance (Minutes)
Andy Hibbert - Director of Finance and Resources
Jane Knowles - Interim Director of Public Engagement
Julie Molloy - Managing Director of National Gallery Global Ltd (via Zoom)
Anh Nguyen - Director of Development
Christine Riding - Director of Collections and Research
Sarah Younger - NG200 Project Director for items 2 and 3
Charlotte Barlow - CBRE for item 2
Zoe Bignell - CBRE for item 2
Alastair Perks - CBRE for item 2
Larry Keith - Head of Conservation and Keeper (for item 14)
Christopher Riopelle - The Neil Westreich Curator of post 1800 paintings (for item 14)
Laura Llewellyn - Curator of Italian Paintings before 1500 (for item 14)
Paul Ackroyd - Restorer (for item 14)
1. Declarations of interest:
1.1. A Trustee reminded the Board that he had an ongoing interest, living in close proximity to the Gallery, while construction works were ongoing.
2. Information has been excluded under s.22, s.36 and s.43 FOI 2000
2.1.-2.6. Information has been excluded under s.22, s.36 and s.43 FOI 2000.
3. Update on NG200 Welcome
3.1. The Project Director gave a presentation on progress in the NG200 Welcome project, and the Director of Development updated the Board on the fundraising campaign.
4. Minutes of the meeting held on 30 March 2023 and matters arising:
4.1. The Minutes were approved.
4.2. The actions are complete or ongoing.
5. Loans Out paper
5.1. The Director of Collections and Research presented the loans out paper, which was approved.
6. Information has been excluded under s.22, s.36 and s.43 FOI 2000
6.1-6.2. Information has been excluded under s.22, s.36 and s.43 FOI 2000.
7. Director’s Report
7.1. The Director gave his presentation.
7.2. He highlighted some paintings that had recently come into the Gallery on long loan.
7.3. He said that DCMS had provided the Gallery with a coronation-themed cover for the hoarding outside the building and that arrangements for the impact of the additional crowds in Trafalgar Square had been well managed by Securitas.
7.4. He had hosted a coronation tea party for staff at the Gallery on 5 May to celebrate the coronation of the Gallery’s royal patron, His Majesty King Charles III.
7.5. He reported on the successful opening of the Saint Francis of Assisi exhibition which had been well attended, including by a representative of the mayor of Assisi.
7.6. On 10 May, to celebrate the Gallery’s 199th birthday and with a year to go until the start of the Bicentenary celebrations, he said that the Gallery had hosted a press conference to give further information regarding the NG200 Welcome project and the celebratory programme of events planned for the Bicentenary.
8. Presentation of National Gallery Global three-year plan, 2023‒26
8.1. The Managing Director gave her presentation. There was a discussion about the assumptions on visitor numbers.
8.2. The Managing Director confirmed that her successor would be starting in September.
9. Report from the Managing Director of National Gallery Global Ltd
9.1. The Managing Director presented the Report.
10. Management Accounts and Development Report
10.1. The Director of Finance and Resources presented the Accounts.
10.2. The Director of Development presented the Development Report.
11. Trustee Introduction to the Annual Review
11.1. The Chairman asked Trustees to write to him or to the Secretary to the Board and Head of Governance with any comments.
12. Committees of the Board and others reporting since the last Board meeting
12.1. The Board noted the Minutes of the Development Committee held on 18 April.
12.2. The Board noted the Minutes of the Digital Advisory Board held on 27 April.
12.3. The Board noted the Minutes of the Masterplan Committee held on 9 May.
13. Any other business
None
14. Pictures for treatment
14.1. Information has been excluded under s.22, s.36 and s.43 FOI 2000.
14.2. Trustees were shown ongoing treatment to Paolo Uccello’s 'Niccolò Mauruzi da Tolentino at the Battle of San Romano'. The Curator of Italian Paintings before 1500 spoke to the Board of the history and importance of the work and a Gallery restorer gave a description of the work being undertaken and the challenges.