“On October 3rd, 1913, a meeting of eight gentlemen was held at the studio of Mr Harry Moore to formulate a society of Art Workers to bring together the painters and workers in all mediums , the title of the society to be “The Northampton Town and County Art Society”. (Report from The Northampton Mercury, Oct 1913).

From the beginning the standing of the founder members is demonstrated by the number of members drawn from the ranks of the RBA and associates of the RCA (even including one titled lady!). Not least amongst these was the first president, Thurston Laidlaw Shoosmith, RBA already a water-colourist of national standing. Their first exhibition consisted of 84 pictures, the work of some thirty artists. From that time the Society’s annual exhibitions have continued in an almost unbroken line up to the present day.

By the late ‘30s the membership had risen to nearly 70, and exhibitions of around 250 pictures were not uncommon. The standard of the annual exhibitions continued to be high, to some degree bolstered by the number of professional and trained artists that there have always been in the ranks. By the 1940s the involvement of the staff of the local Art School under its principal, Mr Lewis Duckett, ARCA had begun to guarantee that standards were to remain high through the constant influx of graduating pupils into the ranks of the society. A head count undertaken in the ‘80s showed that around 75% of the membership had, at one time or another, undergone full-time Art School/Art College training. This tradition of professionalism and skill, balanced by an element of variety and innovation continues to the present day. In recent years the reduction of exhibition space in the Borough’s Art Gallery, where the Society’s main annual exhibition is held, has resulted in slightly smaller exhibitions, but the membership of the society still stands at around 60, with some 50 associate members and around 30 other exhibitors most years. In the current year the Society has held three exhibitions, one in the Borough (our 95th in 2008 )and two in the County.

The Society realises that if it is to survive it must continue to attract new members and young members. Fortunately, each year, works by those recently qualified at Art Colleges can be seen hanging cheek by jowl with those of members of advanced years, the dedicated amateur alongside those of the hardened professional. Standards remain high because of the rigorous process of selection through which all works by non-members have to go. The membership of the selection committee is changed every year, with all full members taking their turn alphabetically. 

 Successful inclusion by non-members in exhibitions can result in being proposed by Members for graduation to Associate Membership, whilst existing members vote democratically each year on which Associate Members are thought ready to assume the responsibilities and rights of Full Membership. Members are guaranteed the inclusion of two works each in the main annual exhibition, and it is mainly from their ranks that those who organise and run the exhibitions , lectures, demonstrations and social gatherings are drawn.

We aim to be a broad church, but the commitment and professionalism that have characterised our exhibitions and Members for nearly a century will, we hope, continue to be our watchword into the foreseeable future.