15 April – 20 May
Large Gallery
At Kettering Museum and Art Gallery we recognise the number of artists wanting to exhibit at the Alfred East Art Gallery and the motivation and inspiration that drives artists, young and old, to get involved in our diverse exhibitions.
For one year only we have decided to adapt our ‘Open’ exhibition to allow more participation from all artists; this will enable us to support more talent in the region and allow us to create an affordable art exhibition for everyone!
Congratualtions to PAOS artist John McGowan, whose works are included in the exhibition, one of John’s prints has won the Atelier Print prize.
“Atelier Print” prizewinner John McGowan with “Pablo’s Pears” at the Alfred East Gallery 2017
About Kettering Art Gallery:
Local artist, Alfred East, wanted to make art accessible to Kettering workers and created a strong stimulus for a public gallery to be built. He shared ideas with philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, who gifted a library to Kettering in 1904 to give the working man the opportunity for self-development.
The Collection was started when ‘The Connoisseur’, a portrait by W B Gash, of a wellknown local antique dealer, was purchased by local subscribers and presented to the town as a possible foundation for a permanent art collection.
In 1910, East received a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours List. This was celebrated with a banquet at the Royal Hotel, Kettering. At this celebration East presented the town with the painting, Midland Meadows, which initially hung in the Public Library for three years.
The town soon accepted a much larger gift by East, a collection of seventy of his best works. The condition of the gift was that the town should build a purpose-built gallery to house this body of work.
Funded by public subscription, the Alfred East Art Gallery was officially opened on 31st July, 1913, by Earl Spencer, K.G., Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire. Unfortunately, Sir Alfred East was unable to attend due to ill health, but was represented by his nephew, W D’ Este Emery.
East’s greatly wished for recovery never took place and, less than three months later, the great artist passed away without seeing his gift of works hung in a gallery in his native town.
17 Bowling Green Rd, Kettering NN15 7QX
open: Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10am – 4.45pm (Last Admission 4:30pm)
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