About the Fishmarket

The Fishmarket Gallery and arts centre is the flagship project of the Northampton Arts Collective (NAC) an independently run, not-for-profit arts organisation. Featuring the largest gallery space outside a city in the UK this impressive building has been transformed into a hub for creative activity.

Originally built in the 1930’s, the Fishmarket is situated in the heart of Northampton’s town centre. Once a bustling and vibrant part of market town life, the closure of the building in 2006 was not the end of the story for this inspiring space.

Over the course of the past two years NAC has transformed the old market hall into a home for the arts and creative business. Housing several independent retail outlets, artists’ studios and a café bar alongside two independent gallery spaces, the Fishmarket offers visitors a truly unique cultural experience.

It was in this spirit of multi disciplinary collaboration that NAC was first founded by a group of local artists and practitioners in 2003. United by a common goal to elevate contemporary culture within Northamptonshire, their passion and determination has seen a landmark development in the town’s cultural offering.

Ever ambitious, NAC and the Fishmarket have big plans for the coming year and are delighted to invite you to come and share in the next chapter of this exciting story.

We very much look forward to seeing you.

MORE....

For more information, history, images and news visit www.fishmarketgallery.blogspot.com

VOLUNTEERING

Click here for more information about volunteering opportunities at the Fishmarket.

REFURBISHMENT

Building on the radical changes made to the venue in our pilot year, NAC continues in its mission to provide one of the most exciting arts venues in the country. 2009 sees us back for our second season sharper and smarter than ever, with an impressively refurbished space to complement our programme of exciting events and exhibitions.

Following a £150,000 investment by Northampton Enterprises Ltd we have upgraded facilities, redesign the café and bar, invested in equipment and enhance the provision of space for artists and performers.

Being the Fishmarket we like to do things a bit differently and we are keen to support independent creative industries in imaginative and practical ways. So we put out a call for the most talented and inspired new and emerging businesses to redesign and refurbish key areas of the building.

Refurbishment team

Artemis

Mission: To revitalise the courtyard at the rear of the building,
a space that had been neglected for many years.

Landscape Architects & Designers based in Stoke Bruerne Northamptonshire, Artemis’ inspired take on multifunctionalism has resulted in an extension of performance space to the outdoors. Surrounded by a 400 year old dry stone wall, the newly refurbished courtyard will offer a fabulous summer season of events. 
 

Farm

Mission: To reinvent the café and bar and solve the problem of heating the space, but with a sophisticated flourish.

Farm are based in London but with strong roots in the Midlands; their work is engaging, witty and distinctly British, with inspirations as disparate as HRH and fish and chips. This ambitious group met at Loughborough University and have given the café/bar a modern, elegant feel.

Jane MacFarlane and Abigail Jackson

Jayne and Abigail came on board to manage the concept design for the gallery
reception and foyer, making a feature of this bright and airy space with its newly created shop unit and seating area.

This investment will greatly improve the Fishmarket, bringing it to a standard comparable with other more established (and better funded) arts facilities. NAC is grateful to all the designers and commissioned suppliers for helping to achieve an ambitious refurbishment within a tight timescale of 7 weeks. We are also immensely grateful to NEL / EMDA who recognise the value of this project.