New National Gallery policy risks 'bad blood' with Tate

A decision to tear up an agreement between the National Gallery and Tate, which stopped the Trafalgar Square institution from collecting works created after 1900, could create "bad blood" and a situation in which the two galleries are "at each other's throats", according to senior sources.

- Lanre Bakare

The National Gallery announced the shift as part of Project Domani, which will see it receive £375m of investment for a new wing that will usher in a "new tomorrow" at the 200-year-old institution.

Maria Balshaw, the director of Tate, welcomed the announcement, saying it was planning to work closely with the National Gallery to "further the national collection as a whole".

A working group featuring staff from both galleries has also been established.

But the Guardian understands that behind the scenes, the decision to change the collection policy at the National Gallery is seen by some as a threat to Tate and a shift that could revive an old rivalry.

A figure with knowledge of the situation said: "Hats off to [the National Gallery] for getting the money; that type of competition is good. But we have to ensure we do the right thing for the national collection and not something really stupid that'll have national galleries at each other's throats, because that's crazy.