Our History
The Newlyn Society of Artists was originally founded in 1896 by a group of painters to organize exhibitions at the Newlyn Art Gallery which had been built by benefactor John Passmore Edwards on land donated by C.N. Le Grice, and given to the artists. In the following years the NSA became an intrinsic part of the arts in the South West. Artistic developments over the last century are reflected in the names of artists who have exhibited with or been members of the NSA including Stanhope Forbes, Norman Garstin, Walter Langley, Lamorna Birch, Dod Proctor, Dame Laura Knight, Alfred Munnings, Peter Lanyon, Bernard Leach, Patrick Heron, John Wells, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and Terry Frost.
Although intrinsically linked with this corner of the southwest, the work of our members has often had a global reach and at the last count at least a dozen have been Royal Academicians.
The NSA Today
In its current form the NSA is a diverse group of approximately 85 professional contemporary artists working across all disciplines from painting and sculpture to performance, the moving image and more. All members are either living in or strongly connected to Cornwall’s extraordinarily active and vibrant contemporary art scene. The NSA is run by an annually elected committee promoting two regular exhibitions each year in an exciting partnership with the Tremeneere Gallery, a new, purpose-built, contemporary gallery space. The Society organises other occasional exhibitions and events and continues to seek new opportunities for the membership.