Exhibitions and displays policy

October 2007

1. Introduction
The exhibition and display programme at the National Portrait Gallery plays a central role in helping the institution achieve its core aims and objectives.  Specifically:

  • To increase the understanding of and engagement with the Collection and its subjects through bringing more of the reference collections into use, and through outstanding research, displays and exhibitions, education, access, publishing, information, regional and digital programmes, and a higher national and public profile
  • To maintain, extend and broaden the range of audiences
  • To increase our own understanding of audiences

The aim of this policy document is to provide a clear summary of the Gallery’s exhibition and displays activities, in particular outlining the criteria by which the programme is decided, and the way in which the individual exhibitions and displays are selected. Over the last few years increasing and extending our international connections has been important and will continue to be over the coming years. Loan exhibitions form an important part of the overall financial management of the Gallery, through ticket income, sponsorship and related publications and retail sales.  

Knowledge about our audiences is developed through market research and surveys carried out throughout the year.  The evaluation of loan exhibitions and displays of the collection is fed into discussions about future exhibitions within the programme.

Consideration is given to the risks (in all areas) via the Exhibition Risk Register, which is monitored by the Head of Exhibitions and through the Exhibition Project Management meetings.  Consideration of presentation, sustainability (maintaining our audience and environmental concerns) and value for money is also considered at these meetings and in discussion with the Director.

The Director provides the Trustees with a regular report on Exhibitions and Displays at their quarterly meetings and a report on Exhibitions is presented to the Trustees annually.  This annual report includes a retrospective review and economic assessment.

The overall aim is to support a balanced exhibitions and displays programme together with the Gallery’s high standards of governance and to ensure that the selection process is transparent.

2.  Scope
This policy covers all National Portrait Gallery exhibitions and displays, including those that tour to external venues.  However, it does not cover the full range of National Programmes and other collaborative activities [National Strategy, 2003.doc].

3.  Definitions
Exhibitions – means large-scale exhibitions usually involving both works loaned from other external sources (artists, other institutions, private lenders and foundations) and from the Gallery’s own collections.  Exhibitions often involve an admission charge, and are located on the ground floor either in the Wolfson or Porter Galleries.  

Displays – means smaller scale displays mainly involving works from the Gallery’s own collections but on occasion making use of external loan material.  These displays, special interventions and projects are located at various points within the permanent displays and public areas.  The Studio Gallery projects are managed by the Learning and Access team and a full description of the aims of this programme can be found in the Learning and Access Policy paper.

4. Legal basis
No specific legislation applies to this policy.

5. Statement of Principles
Exhibitions
The National Portrait Gallery has two major exhibition spaces: the Wolfson and Porter Galleries.  Each space houses three exhibitions a year.  These are arranged on a spring (February – June), summer (June – September) and autumn (October – January) basis.  The BP Portrait Award features annually in the summer slot in the Wolfson Gallery and the Photographic Portrait Prize annually in the autumn slot in the Porter Gallery.  

The National Portrait Gallery also organises touring exhibitions: firstly photographic exhibitions that tour to two to three venues; secondly larger exhibitions, which tour more widely, including internationally, and sometimes involve a collaboration with another partner.  The Gallery may also organise additional touring exhibitions, which are not shown at the Gallery.  These generally involve works from the collections, some of which are not on display.

The overall aim of the Exhibition programme is to achieve a balanced programme both creatively and economically and in consideration of the diversity of audiences.  The programme concentrates on and develops the theme of portraiture with a view to contextualising and increasing an understanding of British history, the permanent collection and portraiture in general.  

The selection criteria for individual exhibitions is governed by the following factors:

The overall programme – which is assessed on a 3 to 5 years basis – should cover the following themes:

  • Different media  (eg. photographic, sculpture, paintings, drawings etc.)
  • Biographical
  • Monographical (focussing on the work of an artist or photographer)
  • Historical range (covering the collection periods and beyond)
  • Art Historical
  • Contemporary, including Open Competitions (Portrait Award and Photographic Portrait Prize)
  • British Artists/projects

In general terms, the programme should also:

  • support the Gallery’s academic profile and seek to accommodate periods of research for in-house curators
  • encourage ideas from outside the institution
  • include historical periods, occasionally also earlier than the collection
  • include geographical themes with both a national and international outlook
  • cover popular subjects and artists, as well as academic or specialist topics
  • reflect a range of audiences in terms of age, social and cultural background
  • encourage innovative interpretation that enhances an engagement with portraiture, history and contemporary issues

Displays
The National Portrait Gallery has eleven regular display spaces: Room 3 (Tudor miniature) showcases; Room 16; Rooms 17-19 (Regency Gallery) showcases; Rooms 23, 24, 26, 28 (Victorian) showcases; Room 31(Early 20th Century Gallery) showcases; Room 32 Balcony end wall; Room 33 (First Floor Landing); Rooms 37a, 38a, Rooms 40-41 (Contemporary Galleries) and the Bookshop Gallery.  It may also make occasional use of other spaces.  Displays are changed on average two times a year, with the Bookshop Gallery changing three times a year.

The subject matter for Displays is determined by the following criteria:

  • Opportunistic – focusing on the celebration of anniversaries and events
  • Resourceful – focusing on the display of recent acquisitions or newly commissioned portraits.  
  • Exploratory – with a focus on specific events, characters or strengths within the collection, often using sensitive material that can only be shown for a limited period.
  • Interventions - broadening the Gallery’s displays through the addition of high-quality portraits from external sources.

6) Responsibilities
Trustees – the Board determines overall policy and comments on the programme at its quarterly meetings but delegates responsibility to the Director.

Exhibitions
The Director – has responsibility for the content of the Gallery’s Exhibitions and Displays programme.

The Head of Exhibitions & Collections Management – leads the planning and development of the Gallery’s Exhibitions and Displays programme.

Exhibition Curator – responsible for leading the Exhibitions Project team.

Exhibitions Project team – is the team (made up of representatives across the Gallery) responsible for delivery of the exhibition within the Gallery via monthly project management meetings.

Displays
Chief Curator – has responsibility for the Gallery’s Displays programme.

The Curatorial team, the Interpretation Editor and Collections Management staff – are responsible for the day-to-day organisation and practical management of displays.

7) Procedures for proposal
Exhibitions

  • The Gallery’s Exhibitions programme is agreed 2-5 years in advance.
  • Proposals for Exhibitions are accepted from both internal and external sources.
  • A standard template is employed when preparing exhibition proposals.  This is available internally on the Gallery’s network, and externally by request from the Exhibition department.  A similar template is available for Gallery Displays. (see Appendices below for link)
  • All exhibition proposals are considered first by the Head of Exhibitions & Collections Management.  The Exhibition Committee considers proposals if they align with the Gallery’s exhibition policy.
  • The Exhibition Committee meets six times a year (every two months) to discuss proposals and is chaired by the Director.
  • The Head of Exhibitions  & Collections Management or the Director will communicate all successful and unsuccessful proposals.
  • The Exhibition Committee – is the senior management forum responsible for advising the Director on the strategic direction and content of the programme of Exhibitions.  The Committee is made up of the Director, Head of Exhibitions, Exhibition Managers, Chief Curator, period Curators, Communications and Development Director, Head of Learning & Access, Head of Finance & Planning, Head of Trading, Marketing Manager, Publishing Manager (see Terms of Reference in Appendices)

Displays

  • The Displays programme is agreed 3-12 months ahead to allow flexibility to respond to events.
  • Proposals for Displays are accepted from both internal and external sources.
  • A standard template is available for Gallery Displays and can be found internally on the Gallery’s network.
  • The Displays Meeting meets four times a year and is chaired by the Chief Curator.  Additional meetings are arranged to discuss the Bookshop Gallery and Room 16 displays which then feed into the quarterly Displays Meeting.
  • The Chief Curator will communicate all successful and unsuccessful proposals.
  • The Displays Meeting – is the forum responsible for advising the Chief Curator on the content of the programme of Displays.  The Displays forum is made up of the Chief Curator, period Curators and representatives from Learning & Access, Communications and Development, Library & Archive and Exhibitions & Collections Management.

8) Breach of Policy
Actions taken by staff in contravention of the Gallery’s stated policies and/or procedures may be treated as a disciplinary offence, to be dealt with in accordance with the Gallery’s Disciplinary and Grievance Procedure.

9) Review
This policy will be reviewed every 3 years.  Next review: April 2010

10) Date approved
Approved by the Trustees of the National Portrait Gallery at the 728th meeting on 12 July 2007.

Appendices
Exhibitions Committee Terms of reference
Gallery Displays Process
Exhibitions Schedule
Exhibitions proposal template
Gallery Displays proposal template






Sarah Tinsley
Head of Exhibitions and Collections Management
Approved in principle by Trustees at the meeting held in July, 2007.  
Final edits to document made in consultation with the Director, October 2007.