New Art Exchange

New Art Exchange
John Sutton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	New Art Exchange
Established	2008
Location	Hyson Green, Nottingham, England
Type	Contemporary art gallery and cultural centre
Director	Alex Farquharson
Architect	Hawkins\Brown

New Art Exchange

New Art Exchange is a contemporary visual arts organisation and cultural centre located in Hyson Green, Nottingham. It presents exhibitions, public programmes, commissions, collections projects and learning activities focused on artists from diverse backgrounds, with links to regional, national and international networks. The organisation operates as a platform connecting artists, curators, educators and communities across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and beyond.

History

The origins trace to community arts initiatives responding to demographic change in Nottingham during the 1980s and 1990s involving organisations such as Nottingham Playhouse, Newark and Sherwood District Council, Nottingham City Council and local groups from Hyson Green and Radford. Founding partners included the East Midlands Arts infrastructure and independent collectives that worked alongside figures from British Council programmes and contributors to festivals like Nottingham Festival of Literature and Nottingham Contemporary collaborations. The building was developed following a competition and planning process involving Hawkins\Brown and stakeholders including the Heritage Lottery Fund and regional arts funders. Since opening in 2008 it has hosted touring projects with major institutions such as the Tate Modern, British Council, Serpentine Galleries and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, and has commissioned artists who later appeared at events like the Venice Biennale and Documenta.

Architecture and Facilities

The purpose-built facility was designed by Hawkins\Brown with input from urban designers and partners like Nottingham Trent University and the City of Nottingham. The building urbanistically responds to adjacent sites including Hyson Green Market and the Nottingham tramway corridor, with façades referencing local industrial heritage and vernacular materials used across developments by firms such as BAM Construct UK and consultants from Arup. Internally, the centre contains flexible gallery spaces, a media suite, learning studios and a performance space equipped for partnerships with groups like BBC Radio Nottingham and touring companies affiliated with Arts Council England. The design earned attention in architectural reviews alongside projects like The Lowry and Hull Maritime Museum, and was cited in discussions with academic partners from University of Nottingham and Goldsmiths, University of London on cultural infrastructure.

Collections and Exhibitions

Exhibitions encompass contemporary visual art, new media, performance and interdisciplinary projects with artists connected to diasporic communities, including collaborations with curators from National Portrait Gallery, V&A, Walker Art Gallery and Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. Past shows have featured artists who later worked with institutions like Museum of Modern Art, New York and festivals such as Frieze and Southbank Centre programmes. The organisation has hosted thematic projects addressing migration, identity and urban life, partnering with archives and collections held by Nottingham Museums, British Library and regional oral history projects associated with East Midlands Oral History Archive. It also supports acquisition and documentation practices in dialogue with curatorial networks including Independent Curators International and research groups at University of Derby.

Education and Community Outreach

Education and outreach initiatives link to schools, community groups and higher education, working with partners such as Nottingham City of Learning, Nottingham Trent University schools of art, and regional youth services coordinated with Nottinghamshire County Council. Programmes have included artist residencies, workshops and mentoring involving practitioners who have worked with Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund and youth arts charities like Creative Partnerships. Collaborative projects have connected with refugee support organisations and community archives that interface with institutions such as Refugee Council and Migrant Help, creating participatory commissions and learning resources used in teacher training at institutions like Trent College and Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies.

Events and Programming

The venue’s calendar features talks, screenings, performances and festivals developed alongside cultural producers from Nottingham Contemporary, B-Line Festival, Splendour Festival, and music promoters who also work with Glee Club (Nottingham), Rock City (Nottingham) and touring companies from Sadler's Wells. Programming includes film strands sourced from distributors such as Curzon Cinemas and partnerships with broadcasters like Channel 4 and community radio projects. Seasonal festivals and one-off events have hosted panels with curators from Tate Britain, artists connected to Royal Academy of Arts, and international guests who have exhibited at venues including Haus der Kunst and Centre Pompidou.

Governance and Funding

The organisation is governed by a board of trustees drawn from regional cultural, academic and business sectors, with governance models comparable to those used by Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisations and charities registered in England and Wales. Core funding has come from bodies including Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and local government partners such as Nottingham City Council', supplemented by project grants from foundations like Paul Hamlyn Foundation and corporate sponsorships from firms operating in the East Midlands. Financial oversight, impact reporting and evaluation have been undertaken in collaboration with research units at University of Nottingham and consultancy practices that serve museums and galleries across the UK.

Category:Art museums and galleries in England Category:Cultural organisations based in Nottingham