Alfred East Gallery to host first exhibition in six years

Exhibitions
Written By Lynne Dickens

Six local artists will bring painting, printmaking, collage and photography to Kettering’s Alfred East Gallery this September, ahead of the much-anticipated reopening of the historic gallery.

After a six-year wait, art will once again be on display at the Alfred East Gallery in Kettering this September, with a new exhibition showcasing the work of six local artists.

Prelude… will run from 5 September to 2 October as part of the annual Northants and Rutland Open Studios September Festival. It will be the first exhibition to take place in the Gallery’s new Garden Room, a bright and flexible space created as part of the recent extension to the Alfred East Gallery and Kettering Library.

The Garden Room has previously been used to temporarily house Kettering Library during renovation work. Its transformation into an exhibition and creative space marks an exciting new chapter for the Alfred East Gallery, providing a venue for exhibitions, art workshops and other activities.

Prelude… brings together six artists, each with their own distinctive style and approach. Charlotte Ashman, Samantha Brockway, Serena Durgheu, Rosie Jarvis, Simon Loach and Teresa Williams will showcase a diverse selection of work spanning painting, printmaking, collage and photography.

The exhibition officially opens on Saturday 5 September, with visitors able to enjoy the work throughout September and into early October. All the artworks on display will also be available to purchase, offering an opportunity to take home a piece by one of the county’s talented artists.

There will be a special opportunity to celebrate the launch of Prelude… on Saturday 12 September, from 6pm to 8pm, when visitors can meet the artists and enjoy the exhibition. Individual artists will also be available to meet on Saturdays throughout September.

The return of exhibitions to Alfred East Gallery is particularly significant as work continues towards the full reopening of the Gallery and Kettering Library. The site is expected to officially reopen in time for ‘Northamptonshire Day’ celebrations in late October, with further details to be announced.

The Alfred East Gallery has long played an important role in Kettering’s cultural life, and Prelude… offers an exciting first glimpse of the renewed exhibition space ahead of its full reopening.

Entry to Alfred East Gallery is free.

Exhibition information

5 September–2 October 2026
Alfred East Gallery, Kettering

Opening times

Tuesday–Saturday: 10am–5pm
Sunday 6 and 13 September: 10am–4pm

Lynne Dickens

Lynne is currently a part-time freelance website designer and marketer. Formerly trading full-time as Spot On Creative is a Northants-based creative team who have the hard-earned skills, expertise and industry knowledge that only come from having worked for years in advertising. It was all managed by Lynne Dickens who has over 20 years’ experience in marketing communications, and ten years in website design and build, and creative team project management.

Lynne is also a qualified art historian and has some expertise in curating fine art exhibitions and producing all of the catalogues, posters and supporting material to create a successful event.

All the guys in the team have worked for one-man bands, SMEs and large blue-chip multinationals in just about every sector, field and industry. Collectively, we can come up with great ideas, superb design and copy, and exceptional photography for anything from websites to email campaigns, branding to brochures – and everything in between.

And the beauty of Spot On Creative is that we’re big in creativity, experience and knowledge, but small in overheads and invoices. So we’re a much more sensible and affordable option for you than a larger advertising agency or marketing company.

Previous

The passage of time: Brian Mutton – a retrospective
Next

From Iron to Empire: Discover the stories beneath Northamptonshire’s landscape