MICROSCOPY

Northampton Town and County Art Society: 108th Open Annual Exhibition An exhibition in Art Gallery 1 Northampton Museum & Art Gallery Saturday 8 November - Sunday 11 January 2026 The Northampton Town & County Art Society presents its 108th Annual Exhibition, showcasing paintings, sculptures, and original prints by leading and emerging Northamptonshire artists. This long-running exhibition features works by society members and selected non-members, offering a rich variety of styles and media. Most pieces are available for sale, providing an ideal opportunity to purchase original art. Free entry

An exhibition of artworks from NMAG's collection celebrates the variety of genres, methods and media used by women artists, from the eighteenth to the twenty-first century. Northampton Museum & Art Gallery Saturday 11 November - Sunday 12 April 2026 Throughout history, both men and women have created art, yet only a select few have been remembered within Western art history. Art by men was historically valued more highly than art by women, reflecting broader beliefs that only men could possess artistic or creative genius. Certain genres and mediums were also considered more prestigious, while work made in the domestic sphere was dismissed as craft or decoration rather than recognised as fine art. Women were barred from studying nude figures a crucial part of classical art training until the late 1800s. Second-wave feminism in the twentieth century, and wider social changes in the twenty-first, have challenged these hierarchies. Today, women are at the forefront of artistic production, with artists such as Tracey Emin, Maggi Hambling, Rachel Whiteread and Jasleen Kaur recognised as leading voices in contemporary art.