NN Nights was a dynamic, town-wide celebration of contemporary art and culture, held on Sunday 31 August 2025 across multiple venues in Northampton. Following the success of the inaugural 2024 edition, this year’s event expanded significantly, showcasing work by over 50 artists through exhibitions, performances, and participatory projects. Devised in 2024 by participants of NN Associates, a professional development programme initiated by NN Contemporary Art, NN Nights was established to nurture creative skills and strengthen community bonds in Northampton. The 2025 edition built on this foundation and firmly positioned NN Nights as a key fixture in the region’s cultural calendar.
Programme
Lightning Bolt Drawing World Championship
The day began at the Racecourse with a community-centred participatory artwork by Northampton-based artist Bill Pollard. Participants were invited to draw chalk lightning bolts on the pavement in a joyful act of collective mark-making, setting the tone for the day.
Tempus Ignis by Michelle Woolley
A number of artist commissions emerged from an open call, with several works responding to the anniversary of the Great Fire of Northampton. Notably, Michelle Woolley led a performative walk through the town, creating a shamanic drawing using burnt materials, a gesture reflecting on fire, heritage, and medieval English folklore.
Watch a Garden Grow
Curated by Richard Harrison, this temporary outdoor exhibition was inspired by Landscape with Marble Mountain, a painting by Derek Jarman in the Northampton Museum and Art Gallery collection. The project began with a public chalk-flower drawing event led by Bill Pollard, evolving into a ‘secret garden’ installation over the course of the day.
Participating artists: Macy Wong Prior, Madeleine Wilkie, Dinosaur Kilby, Leah Hickey, Kristina Hall, Sophie Mackfall, Ethan Caflisch, Johanna De Verdier, Campbell McConnell, Ciara Callaghan, Joe Highton, and Shepherd Manyika.
We Used To Be Friends Bar
Artist and designer Giles Round debuted a participatory installation and public artwork in collaboration with Queer Brewing. Set beneath a pink neon sign, the pop-up bar offered a specially-editioned beer and functioned as a temporary intervention into spaces coded by heteronormative nostalgia. The project temporarily activated NN Contemporary Art’s new site at 24 Guildhall Road, ahead of its full opening in 2026.
James Smith: A Study of New and Expanded Towns of Southeast England and Memorability as an Image
Exhibited at PHOTOMAFIA Studios, Smith’s photographic series explored urban planning, new towns, and post-war architecture, drawing inspiration from Rayner Banham’s theory of New Brutalism.
V & B Presentations
Merlin Summers: Mr. Reece. I. Kul, a sculptural performance using found and repurposed materials.
Maksim Podorozkin: Photographic work documenting Northampton’s industrial architecture.
Gleam: A group show by NN/A, featuring live painting and new works exploring the theme of light as subject and medium.
Evening Celebration
The event concluded with food and music at Coconut Paradise Café, where guests enjoyed signature Caribbean cuisine and DJ sets into the evening.
Supporters
NN Nights 2025 was generously supported by:
Arts Council England, Click Arts Foundation, Northampton Town Council, pHp Architects, Michael Jones Jeweller, Yellow Bourbon Coffee Roasters
