Chris Stephens

Chris Stephens is a leading British art historian and curator, currently serving as Director of the Holburne Museum in Bath since 2017. Prior to this role, he spent over two decades at Tate, notably as Head of Displays and Lead Curator of Modern British Art at Tate Britain. Stephens has curated major exhibitions on artists such as Francis Bacon, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and David Hockney, and is recognised as a foremost scholar on the St Ives School. His academic credentials include MA’s in History of Art from the University of Edinburgh and in British Art and Critical Theory from the University of Sussex, where he also earned his doctorate focusing on St Ives artists and landscape. At the Holburne, Stephens integrates contemporary art with historical collections, fostering dialogues that resonate with modern audiences. He has published extensively, including the book St Ives: The Art and the Artists (2018).