|
Tate Liverpool has secured a £12m grant from the UK government, putting the gallery back on track for a 2027 reopening following delays to its redevelopment project
Lauren Heath-Jones | Planet Attractions | 11 Jun 2025
The renovation is being led by 6a architects and is designed to reframe the Tate Liverpool for a 21st century audience Credit: 6a architects
Tate Liverpool could reopen as early as 2027 after receiving a £12m (US$16.3m, €14.2m) investment from the UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for an ambitious renovation project that saw the gallery close to the public almost two years ago.
The gallery, located on Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock, closed in October 2023 to undergo the £30m (US$41m, €35m) refurbishment, which was described by The Guardian as “the most important UK art project taking place outside London.”
Originally scheduled to reopen in 2025, the gallery is now aiming for a spring 2027 reopening after works were delayed due to funding issues.
According to Tate Liverpool, the project has now entered its final phase of fundraising and it’s hoped that the endowment from the DCMS’s Public Bodies Infrastructure Fund, alongside donations from the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Ross Warburton Charitable Trust, will get the project back on track.
The redesign, helmed by London-based architecture firm 6a architects, will see Tate Liverpool, which is housed inside a Grade I-listed, 19th century warehouse, “reimagined for the 21st century,” with plans to open up the space to host exhibitions and display the gallery’s collections.
It will also see the addition of a new art hall for the display of larger works. Described as a “refreshed and more inviting space,” the new hall will be located on the ground floor and will be restored to its original height to increase natural light and incorporate views of Liverpool and its historic waterfront into the displays.
The plans also include a new sustainable gallery that aims to reduce running costs as well as end the building’s dependence on fossil fuels. A goal that will see upgrades made to the building’s insulation, as well as the removal of all of its gas boilers.
“New services will replace fossil fuel with renewables and natural ventilation will be introduced to the building to ensure better energy performance,” said a Tate Liverpool statement.
Owen Wilson, director of 6a architects, told The Guardian: “It’s a major decarbonising project. We’re targeting an 85% reduction in carbon emissions.”
Other facilities will include a number of community, wellbeing and event spaces, as well as a café.
Several accessibility improvements are also planned, with accessible toilets, changing areas and doors on every floor.
A Tate Liverpool statement said the transformation aims to create “a future-facing gallery that better serves the people of the Liverpool city region and our members; a gallery that encourages visits from across the UK and beyond.”
Helen Legg, director of Tate Liverpool, called the project “invaluable to the region’s visitor economy,” adding that it would act as “a catalyst for the next era of waterfront redevelopment and an opportunity for our communities to enjoy world-class art and culture in the heart of Liverpool.”
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy said: “I’m delighted our Public Bodies Infrastructure Fund is supporting this redevelopment, which will strengthen Liverpool’s economy and encourage even more people to visit this incredible city that has culture at its heart.
“Our support is part of this government’s commitment to ensure arts and culture is accessible to everyone right across the country.”
Speaking to The Guardian, Steve Rotheram, mayor of Liverpool city region, added: “The impact of this project stretches beyond art. It’s about creating opportunities, driving regeneration and showcasing the very best of our city region to the world. Tate Liverpool is a symbol of everything we stand for: creativity, ambition and a deep connection to our community.”
First opened in 1988, Tate Liverpool is England’s most visited art gallery outside of London. Pre-pandemic, it attracted around 700,000 visitors annually that number is anticipated to grow to one million per year once the gallery reopens.
Museums and galleries
|
|
Supplier Showcase 2025: The biggest attractions projects landing worldwide this year
|
