About us.

Norman Rea Gallery is a YorkSU ratified society at the University of York. We are run by a committee of elected students who volunteer their time. Our core aims have always been:

• To offer a unique opportunity for students in York to work in a contemporary campus-based art gallery,

• To act as an accessible and representative artistic hub for students at the University of York to meet and connect with like-minded creatives,

• To provide a platform emerging artists both local and national to achieve display and recognition.

The gallery was established by Norman Rea, the Provost of Langwith College in 1976. He felt that, “students should have the opportunity to look at paintings a well as listen to music and should have the chance to engage with artists, talk about their work with them discuss their techniques.”  He also recognised that “new artists sometimes struggled to get started, to find a gallery that would be willing to give them space,” and so the Norman Rea Gallery was born.

The committee of 2024/25 will continue the Norman Rea Gallery’s dedication to listen, connect with, and respond to our community. We aim to curate a variety of art exhibitions and events that resonate with contemporary society, in such a way that engages students culturally, creatively, and socially. We seek to welcome a range of audiences into conversation, particularly for whom the art industry has not been as accessible or full of opportunity as it should be. We are also committed to platforming emerging artists who work in a variety of media, and who may be finding themselves on the fringes of recognition in mainstream art spaces. We seek to broaden the artistic horizons for students like ourselves beyond the realms of the university by engaging with other creative spheres and organisations, both local and national, thus fostering a creative network between members, artists, and audiences. The gallery will maintain its democratic curatorial nature, producing events and exhibitions formed through the ideas of committee and members. Above all, we remain committed to an inclusive environment within our physical and online spaces, keeping a community-focus at the heart of all gallery life.