It was a very pleasant surprise to be invited to become the President of the Friends of the Hatton Gallery. I was delighted to accept and be able to meet members of the Committee at their meeting last month.
Over the years – indeed since way back in the 1960s! – I have visited the Hatton many times. In the past six years in particular I have attended exhibitions and followed the progress of the Gallery in my former role as Chair of the Board of Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums (TWAM). As a Newcastle University Graduate I have also been proud to maintain my links with the University not only through its partnership with TWAM but also having served as a member of the University’s Court.
It is especially good to become President of the Friends when we can look forward to the centenary of the Gallery’s founding which occurs next year, 2025. Another anniversary which is also worth mentioning is that 2024, it is 100 years since a group of Ashington miners first came together within the Workers Educational Association and eventually formed the celebrated “Pitmen Painters” Group whose first public exhibition was held in the Hatton Gallery in 1936! Through such anniversaries and other events I hope that as President I can help promote the Gallery, its work and achievements. I also look forward to meeting with as many Friends as possible during my term of office.
Joyce Quin, February 2024
Friends of the Hatton 