The Bluecoat, England’s oldest art centre, has appointed Emer Grant as its first creative director, ahead of the institution’s centenary in 2027.
Grant comes from Arts Collective, Northampton, where she’s served as CEO and artistic collector since 2020. During her tenure she presented exhibitions including Rose Finn-Kelcey and Mark Wallinger, and oversaw the £5.2 million redevelopment of the art space’s new home at 24 Guildhall Road. She has curated shows at institutions including Hessel Museum of Art and ISCP in New York, Stroom Den Haag in the Netherlands, Void Gallery in Northern Ireland and Oolite Arts in South Florida.
‘I’m looking forward to making Liverpool my home and getting to know its creative communities,’ Grant says in a statement. ‘This is a city with immense pride in its culture, people and spirit. I hope to learn from that energy, continue the Bluecoat’s tradition of presenting ambitious art, and work collaboratively to shape a vision for its next century.’