The ‘Places, People and Professions’ that give Northampton such a strong and unique identity are being celebrated in a new exhibition on display in town.
The moving collection of artwork, photography and audio interviews has been created by talented students from Northampton College and is now on show at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery.
The exhibition features photos and artwork of around 20 notable Northampton landmarks combined with a soundscape of people’s memories of the buildings and the industries associated with them.
Students of Fine Art, Photography, Music Technology, Business, Dance and Carpentry apprentices have worked on the exhibition during the past 18 months and were there to celebrate its official launch on Thursday, 24 April.
Principal of Northampton College, Jason Lancaster, said: “Northampton is a very proud town with an incredible heritage. Wherever you walk you can feel the history around the place and this exhibition brings much of that to life.
“It is a fascinating insight into our community, the people that live here, the businesses that operate here and the skyline that dominates our surroundings.
“This collection is a celebration of collaboration, with students from across the college coming together to work with external partners to create something truly special for the whole town to enjoy. It really is something to treasure.”
The project was devised by Northampton College’s Music and Performing Arts Curriculum Manager Sarah Thursby with support from her colleagues Charles Naylor, Tracey Stanton, Chris Robinson and Mark Bradshaw.
Sarah said: “The origin of each building featured in the exhibition can be linked back to skills that are a key part of Northampton’s history, and which are still taught at Northampton College today.
“The collection looks at how places, people and professions have evolved and how they’ll continue to develop in the future – with our own students likely to play a key role in that evolution and innovation.”
Sites featured in the exhibition include the Royal & Derngate, the Performing Room, The Deco, the V&B building, Northampton Guildhall, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, Tricker’s shoe factory, Mounts Fire Station, Mounts Police Station, The County Ground, Mounts Baths, NN Contemporary Arts, Express Lift Tower, Vulcan Works, Northampton Central Library and St Giles Cheese.
The launch event saw 100 invited guests and contributors gather and enjoy a live performance inspired by the exhibition by Level 3 Dance students, choreographed by Dance Lecturer Tracey Stanton. The performance was also available to watch on VR headsets.
The exhibition will be open to the public in Northampton Museum and Art Gallery’s café for the next three weeks before touring key locations, including the Royal & Derngate, Delapré Abbey, The Performing Room and The Guildhall.
Sarah said: “We hope this exhibition is just the start of the project. We hope visitors will also be inspired to share their memories of Northampton landmarks and professions so we can continue to expand the project to celebrate an even wider range of communities in our town and build an archive that can be enjoyed for generations to come.”
Visitors who want to get involved in the project will have the chance to leave their written memories and contact information at the exhibition.
Learn more about courses available at Northampton College by visiting their website.
