The Hepworth Wakefield in West Yorkshire, one of the UK’s most important regional galleries, has appointed two new co-directors: Olivia Colling in the role of executive director, and Laura Smith as artistic director. Colling joined The Hepworth Wakefield as the director of communications and development in 2015 while Smith began as the director of collection and exhibitions in 2022.
Post-pandemic, Colling has overseen the commercial income-generating arm of the organisation and the development of the gallery’s capital projects, says a statement. She was previously head of press and corporate communications at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Smith has “strategically grown Hepworth Wakefield’s art collection, focusing on filling historic gaps”. She presented a retrospective of works by Helen Chadwick in 2025 and later this year will unveil a show of works by the late Indian sculptor Mrinalini Mukherjee (23 May-1 November). Smith was previously a curator at Tate and Whitechapel Gallery in London.
The appointments are timely as the gallery celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, presenting two new exhibitions that draw on the collection including Modern Art and Modern Life: Highlights from Wakefield’s Modern British Collection opening in March.
Steve Langan, the chair of The Hepworth Wakefield Trust, says in a statement: “[Colling and Smith] have proven success at fundraising and growing commercial income, are well networked locally and nationally, and are building the gallery’s reputation internationally through our expanding touring programme.”
Last summer Simon Wallis, the former director of the Hepworth Wakefield, was appointed as the new secretary and chief executive of the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) in London. Colling and Smith, both born in Yorkshire, were subsequently appointed as interim directors.
The gallery opened in 2011 and, according to its website, reached its initial annual target of 150,000 visitors in its first five weeks. In 2017 the West Yorkshire venue was named the Art Fund Museum of the Year.
According to the Charity Commission, the gallery received £412,000 in donations and legacies from 2024 to 2025, raising £1.32m through “trading activities”. A standard entry ticket costs £13.
