THE Bowes Museum’s director is stepping down after more than 20 years at its helm.
Adrian Jenkins says the time has come to pursue other personal and professional interests and for a new director to take the museum forward in a new direction.
During his period in charge, the museum has undergone a £12.5million refurbishment, resulting in Historic England removing it from the at-risk register, and an award winning redesign of the fashion and textile gallery.
It secured the first ever UK showing of Yves St Laurent couture, an exhibition which attracted a huge audience and brought the museum to the attention of organisations and individuals around the globe in 2015.
He has also been instrumental in securing major gifts to the collections and has attracted funding to buy paintings such as the 15th century masterpiece St Luke painting the Virgin by Dieric Bouts.
The popular education and learning programmes have been nationally acclaimed, receiving the Sandford Award in 2013 and 2018.
In recent years The Bowes was the only organisation in the North East to achieve success with catalyst funding from Arts Council England, securing £1million in donations and releasing a further £1million in matched funding to create an endowment that will support activities for years to come.
Mr Jenkins said: “I have worked with so many wonderful people at The Bowes over the past 20 years and am very proud of everything we have collectively achieved.
“The Bowes Museum will always have a very special place in my heart and I look forward to seeing what it
will achieve in the years ahead.”
A spokesman for The Bowes Museum said: “The trustees and staff wish Adrian all the very best in his future endeavours and gratefully thank him for his service to the museum.”
