Northampton Museum and Arts Gallery regains Arts Council accreditation

After nearly a decade, Northampton Museum and Arts Gallery has received full accreditation from the Arts Council England.

The museum service in Northampton lost Arts Council England accreditation in 2014 following the sale of the Egyptian statue of Sekhemka, which was part of its collection and proceeds of which were used to renovate the museum.

The prestigious accreditation from the Arts Council recognises the museum and arts gallery's ongoing commitment to providing an outstanding facility for Northampton, to help people to engage with collections and protect them for the future.

The nationally agreed standards set out to ensure all museums are sustainable, focused and trusted, inspiring the confidence of the public and funding and governing bodies.

Over the last nine years, the museum and art gallery has worked tirelessly to demonstrate its commitment to preserving and showcasing history to our communities.

Cllr Adam Brown, West Northamptonshire Council's Cabinet Member for Housing, Culture and Leisure, said: "As a Council, we are pleased to have regained the prestigious Arts Council accreditation.

"We acknowledge the mistakes of the past, and we would like to set out our assurance that West Northamptonshire Council has robust governance processes to prevent anything similar from happening again.

"This news comes at an exciting time for arts and culture in West Northants, as last month we announced that Northampton Museum and Art Gallery has been awarded National Portfolio Organisation status by Arts Council England, with a grant of £150k a year for three years to deliver on their 'Let's Create' strategy, and the exciting next phase of works is set to begin on 24 Guildhall Road, a new innovative hub for artists.

"We look forward to working with our partners, artists and historians to provide a wide variety of displays and galleries for our communities, within the museum and art gallery and across West Northamptonshire."

Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director for Arts Council England, said: "The Museum Accreditation scheme ensures museums manage their collections properly, engage with visitors, and are governed appropriately and we are pleased to be welcoming Northampton Museum and Arts Gallery into the scheme.

"The museum is an important part of the cultural landscape for the region with collections which fascinate, educate and inspire those who visit, and we're also pleased that Northampton Museum & Art Gallery alongside Abington Park Museum will be part of our National portfolio over the next three years."

As part of the funding awarded to Northampton Museum and Arts Gallery by the Arts Council, the project will engage with groups and communities across Northamptonshire to develop a series of exhibitions, events, books and digital resources looking at different aspects of Northamptonshire's history through objects, architecture, landscape and personal experiences.

To find out more about Northampton Arts Gallery and Museum, including current displays and opportunities to get involved, visit www.northamptonmuseums.com.