Dr Stephen Deuchar was educated at Dulwich College and at the universities of Southampton, London and Yale.  He is a specialist in 18th Century British art and his publications include Sporting art in 18th Century England: a social and political history (Yale University Press, 1988).  He has also published catalogues and articles on the collections of the National Maritime Museum, where he worked from 1985-1998, latterly as Director of the Neptune Court Project, the £20m redevelopment of the museum’s main complex.

Appointed to Tate in 1998, he is the founding director of Tate Britain, which was established in 2000. He oversaw the opening of the Tate Centenary project in November 2001, which provided new and refurbished galleries presenting a narrative of British art from 1500 to the present day. He is responsible for all aspects of Tate Britain’s current programme and operations, and for its long term development. 

He has been appointed as the new Director of the Art Fund and will take up his post in January 2010.