NN Associates

NN Associates is a tailored Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme for artists and creatives at any stage in their career. Participants gain hands-on, sector-specific and wider employability skills within a leading contemporary arts organisation that can help individuals forge a career path within the arts, cultural and creative industries.

NN Contemporary Art (NNCA) operates the programme from our offices and artist studio community complex in the heart of Northampton’s Cultural Quarter, with guidance and support from experienced NNCA staff members. Participants are encouraged to grow their professional network and to develop specific arts-related interests in-situ at NNCA, an Arts Council England (ACE) accredited National Portfolio Organisation (NPO).

The programme is open to any person living in Northampton or within a nearby commutable distance to Northampton.

Each year the NN Associates curriculum is devised by an experienced arts and culture professional and for 2023 the programme will be led by Simon Wright. Simon is an independent creative producer with over 15 years’ experience designing and delivering multi-arts programmes, projects and commissions. He was previously Curator of Public Programmes at MK Gallery, and is a co-founder of Pooleyville, a multi-disciplinary creative agency that works with a range of commercial, cultural and community partners. In 2017, he co-founded the Outlands Network – a commissioning body and national network specialising in experimental music and interdisciplinary performance – which is now also an NPO organisation.

Through a mix of supporting NNCA’s live performance events, researching new projects, archiving, and attending guest artist talks, NNCA is committed to helping create opportunities for our Associates to pursue careers in the arts or open up routes and avenues to becoming future cultural producers and creatives. The training and skills development embedded within the programme will prepare participants for seeking and securing employment, and NNCA will provide guidance throughout the scheme.

The NN Associates programme is made up of five key development pathways:

Mentorship: Each participant is supported by a professional mentor, in 2023 this is Simon Wright, to ensure that they can contextualise their learning and implement actions that will support pathways into further employment, training or education in the creative sector.

Industry and employment knowledge: Participants are able to extend this knowledge of career opportunities, pathways and routes into employment through networking with and talks from artists and industry professionals.

Practical skills development: Hands-on experience that develops skills and knowledge that can be transferred into employment and personal development.

Self-managed development projects: Participants undertake self-managed projects, supported by a mentor that facilitates training and skills development.

Placement activity: Focused placement activity to develop a track record, a body of example work, employability skills and confidence.