On Friday, 30th November I visited the NN Contemporary Art Gallery on Guildhall Road, Northampton. As the name suggests, the Gallery displays a wide variety of contemporary art ranging from award-winning art pieces to artworks created by recent graduates. The Gallery sees the value of experimentation and works regularly with the University of Northampton as a vital resource for students and staff to help develop their skills.
The Gallery was recently awarded ‘National Portfolio Organisation’ or NPO status by Arts Council England – an arm’s length body under my ministerial brief. NPOs are companies which have been recognised by Arts Council England for their great work and as such receive a share of funding from Arts Council England. Between 2015 and 2018, close to £1 billion was invested in 663 similar organisations around the country. The Gallery in Northampton will be one of the organisations that gain investment during the 2018-2022 NPO period. Arts Council England, with whom I regularly work in my ministerial capacity, do great work in supporting and promoting the arts. It was a pleasure to visit such a successful and interesting art gallery here in Northampton and the Gallery is another great example of the local Northampton cultural scene.