England's first purpose-built prison in Northumberland receives £40,000 grant to 'transform exhibition spaces'

England's oldest purpose-built prison is one of five North East museums awarded with an arts grant to transform its exhibition spaces.

Dating back to the 14th century, Hexham Old Gaol was transformed into a museum in 1980 and shares stories of criminal justice, heroism, human rights, nationhood, poverty and disability stretching back seven centuries. The grant from Art Fund's Reimagine programme will be used for a two-year project which will see illustrator and printmaker Jonny Hannah work with local communities in Hexham and the wider area, with the intention of creating impactful and engaging displays to present the gaol's history.

Rowan Brown, chief executive of Museums Northumberland, said Jonny Hannah's approach would transform Hexham Old Gaol into a "story box", where people of all ages and abilities can learn about the history of the building and its impact on the local area.

Artist Jonny Hannah said: "Every community, place, town or region has stories to tell. I find this fascinating.

"And some people may think their stories aren’t important enough, but I’ve found that’s not the case. Urban Folklore as I call it, is a vast pool of inspiration for me, with small nuggets waiting to be uncovered and brought to life by me as a visual statement. This could be an eight foot painting on board, or a newspaper or comic book, or a woodcut or screenprint."

It will also expand on an existing partnership between Museums Northumberland and HMP Northumberland, exploring how the collections and themes of England's oldest prison connect with the county's modern day prison service. Mr Hannah will run workshops at HMP Northumberland and use the history of the gaol to inspire prisoners to create their own artworks.

In a previous project, work produced by a prisoner at HMP Acklington was on display at Hexham Old Gaol during the Northumberland Folk exhibition. It is hoped that any successful pieces of work from the workshops could once again feature at the jail.

Vicky Robinson, director of HMP Northumberland, said: "We have some very talented prisoners and my ambition is to broaden the programmes of arts within the establishment recognising the rehabilitative benefit of such programmes and partnerships."

Art Fund's Reimagine programme is designed to inspired creativity and increase stability and resilience in museums. The latest round of the £1m programme is aimed to support museums to reimagine their approach to partnerships.

Other recipients in the North East include £49,989 for the Bowes Museum to re-imagine its story with local communities, £41,550 for Tyne and Wear Museums for a community forum, £30,450 for Tees Valley Museums for collections inspired playscapes, and £17,445 for Beneath the Surface at Hartlepool Art Gallery, a mental health initiative that aims to address the low engagement of men with mental health support services.

Art Fund director Jenny Waldman said: "We’re extremely pleased to offer £1 million in support to local-authority reliant museums and galleries across the UK through this latest round of Reimagine grants. The projects showcase the incredible value local museums have for communities and demonstrate their remarkable ambition, resilience and entrepreneurial spirit in the face of growing challenges."

Hexham Old Gaol is under the management of Museums Northumberland, the county's museum service, alongside Woodhorn Museum, Berwick Museum and Art Gallery, and Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum. Northumberland County Council recently brought the service back in house, entering into a "shared services agreement" with Tyne and Wear Museums (TWAM) in a bid to improve visitor experiences at the four sites amid rising cost pressures.

The Old Gaol is set to close for the winter on Sunday, November 3, and will reopen again in Spring 2025.

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