Northern Gallery for Comtemporary Art

Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art presents changing exhibitions of new work by artists from around the world, bringing new art to new audiences. It offers opportunities to emerging and established artists to present work at critical points in their careers and audiences the chance to see the stars of tomorrow today. The gallery is instrumental in commissioning and premiering works, whether allowing artists to realise new ideas, or bringing artists to the UK who have not shown here before.

The gallery has two spaces: the main gallery and project space. The main gallery is one of the largest and most flexible spaces in the UK. At 100x50ft and with full museum conditions, it provides artists to show work in depth and in detail, and allows the gallery to produce large-scale group exhibitions that offer a surprising range of ideas and images. By contrast, the smaller 30x20ft project space is a test bed for new ideas, where artists have the chance to extend their practice by testing out new ideas and presenting them in public for the first time.

About the gallery:

“One of the British Isles’ best small galleries: This gallery's focus on emerging talents has included the likes of Sam Taylor-Wood, and its recent group shows have been inspired.” The Guardian, July 2010

"Whenever I visit the North-East, it's to Sunderland that I look for excellent contemporary art exhibitions." Gill Hedley, former Director, Contemporary Art Society

“A fantastic major contemporary art space in the heart of the city. The latest exhibitions are the gallery’s ethos incarnate, mixing work from an established, world-class artist with that of an up-and-coming local one. NGCA’s Project Space is an important spring-board for new talent.” The Crack

“NGCA is a venue that any city in Europe would be proud of.” Eric Bainbridge, Professor of Fine Art, Sunderland University

“NGCA is an asset to Sunderland – there have been some real coups bringing important artists to the city. The gallery is one of the key facilities here that is acclaimed on a national level and is makes people notice the city. The educational side of the gallery is also very strong.” Allison Goulding, Sunderland Echo

“Over the past few years Sunderland city’s contemporary art gallery has performed a great service by making itself the art space in the North East that regularly puts on exhibitions with an overtly political message. More so than anywhere else in the region, it keeps alive the idea that galleries are suitable places in which to broach tricky topics”. Art Monthly, June 2010