The University of Sunderland has announced that the NGCA will move to Culture House Sunderland, a creative space on the second floor of the Keel Square building that will bring the gallery closer to the city’s wider cultural life.
Professor Kevin Petrie, Strategic Lead for the Centre for Creative Practice Research at the University of Sunderland’s School of Media and Creative Industries, said: “We are working to bring a diverse range of visual art into the NGCA programme.
“My colleagues in our subjects such as Fine Art and Photography, Video and Digital Imaging will also use the new gallery space in teaching sessions and students will have the chance to work alongside the exhibition curator, and in many cases the artists themselves, to learn first-hand about careers and professional practice in visual arts.”
The new gallery will also serve as a public platform for university students and staff to exhibit their work and collaborate with artists and curators.
Andrea Walters, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Operations at the University of Sunderland, said: “By opening this space in Culture House, the University aims to remain central to Sunderland’s ambitious cultural landscape, while also providing enhanced opportunities for students to learn, exhibit, and collaborate in a professional public setting.”
Sunderland Culture has welcomed the move.
Nick Malyan, chief executive of Sunderland Culture, said: “NGCA is the longest-established contemporary art gallery in the North East of England.
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“For more than half a century, it has brought nationally and internationally significant artists to Sunderland while championing regional and emerging talent.”
The new space aims to further strengthen Sunderland’s cultural offering.
Councillor Beth Jones, cabinet member for communities, culture and tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: “This will be a place to think, explore, and connect at the heart of the city, and having international artists share their work here will bring more footfall into the city centre.”