The Norwich Twenty Group (N20G) is a group of artists in Norfolk, England. Stimulated by contemporary art movements, the original group of 14 artists, met in November 1944, they intended to raise standards of local professional art to something worthy of the artistic history of Norfolk, by mutual criticism and appraisal of work. On 8 January 1945, they named the group the Norwich Twenty Group and a constitution was signed. N20G continues to flourish with new members. Since 1944, over 270 artists have been members. Some of the artists have included Bernard Reynolds, Edward Barker, Leslie Davenport, Michael Andrews, Mary Newcomb, Hamilton Wood, Jeffery Camp and Cavendish Morton. Since 1945 and until the end of 2013, some 150 art shows have been organised. Shows have taken place in 97 venues in Norwich, 35 in East Anglia, 11 outside East Anglia and 7 in Europe. Many of the artists trained at the Norwich School of Art and Design, now Norwich University of the Arts, Royal College of Art, Slade School of Fine Art, and other well known art schools. Many have travelled widely, studying the arts of other cultures and have exhibited regionally, nationally and internationally. Current members include 88 artists, with three life members and four honorary members. Several NUA graduates are invited to join the group every year, for one year, under the licentiate scheme. Meeting challenges in today's contemporary art, N20G now encompasses artists working in all media from paint, sculpture, installations and digital, ever seeking to nurture new members and forms of art.
Founder members
First eight members who attended the inaugural meeting on 13 November 1944 Walter Thomas Watling (1885–1956) Maidie Buckingham (1901–1988) Henley G. Curl (1910–1989) Margaret Fitzsimmons-Hall Tom Griffiths (1901–1990) Aileen Law Wilfred S. Pettitt (1904–1978) Bernard Reynolds (1915–1997)
Next admissions in 1944/45 Edward Barker (1918–1983) Leslie Davenport (1905–1973) Leslie Moore (1913–1976) John Trudgill (1916–1986) Jim Starling (1905–1996) James Fletcher-Watson (1913–2004)
Elected chairmen 1944 to present Elected in: 1945 Walter T. Watling (1885–1956) 1946 Wilfred Pettitt (1904–1978) 1947 Henley G. Curl (1910–1989) 1948 Margaret Fitzsimmons-Hall 1950 Leslie Davenport (1905–1973) 1951 Ruth Barker (1925–2009) 1954 Noel Spencer (1900–1986) 1955 Cavendish Morton b.1911 1957 Hubert Forward (1928–1998) 1958 Geoffrey Wales (1912–1990) 1959 Jeffery Camp 1960 Hamilton Wood (1918–1989) 1961 John Rowbottom 1962 Ronald Courteney 1964 Leslie Davenport (1905–1973) 1966 Peter Baldwin 1968 Ronald Courteney 1971 Peter Baldwin 1976 Geoffrey Lefever 1978 Jane Mackintosh 1980 Richard Maguire 1981 Trevor Aldous 1983 Mike Toll 1985 Peter Baldwin 1989 Tony Mabbutt 1991 Peter Baldwin 1992 Hubert Forward (1928–1998) 1995 Mike Toll 1996 Hamilton Wood (1918–1999) Hamilton Wood (1918-1989) not correct 1997 Frank Pond 1999 Ann-Mari Stevens 2001 David Jones 2003 Joanna Reynolds 2005 Barry Watkins 2007 David Holgate (1939–2014) 2009 Rory McShane 2011 Martin Battye 2013 Julia Sorrell 2014 Linda Chapman 2014 Martin Battye 2015 Martin Laurance 2017 Peter Offord
Open Meetings locations since 1944
All Open Meetings are open to the public, where everyone can listen to art discussions, presentations on subjects such aesthetics, architecture, art movements, artistic disciplines, artists' own works, contemporary art scenes, critiques, formative experiences and travels abroad, imagination, photography, techniques and practical approaches, women artists and many others.
All locations were in Norwich.
1944 - The Chantry. The room was lent by the WEA. The inaugural meeting of the group took place on 13 November 1944 1945 - 32 Elm Hill. The Countess of Albemarle offered the use of this location for the meetings of the group. 1946 - Y.W.C.A. 1946 - 56 Bethel Street 1946 - 23 Grove Walk 1953 - Sir Garnet Wolseley Public House 1954 - Flint House Gallery 1955 - The Red Lion Public House 1955–56 - The Wild Man Pub 1956-73 - The Festival House 1973–76 - The Gibraltar Gardens Public House 1976–78 - The Unthank Arms Public House 1978 - The Arts Centre 1978–82 - The Golden Star Public House 1982–86 - The Adam & Eve Public House 1986–93 - Wensum Lodge 1993 - Contact Gallery 1994–95 - United Reformed Church Rooms Since November 1999 - The Chapel
Exhibitions
Since 1945 and until 2015, some 165 art shows have been organised. Shows have taken place in 111 venues in Norwich, 35 in East Anglia, 12 outside East Anglia and 7 in Europe. The information is based on the archives of the Norwich Twenty Group. All exhibitions have always been open to the public. (Information based on the archives of the Norwich Twenty Group - list of locations/periods/titles)
1940s 1946 Norwich, 24 Jan. 1946 for about a month, "Social and Art Exhibition" at the YWCA Hostel. 1946 Norwich, July 1946, "First Public Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture" at the Jarrolds Art Gallery. 1947 Norwich, 4–29 June 1947, "20 Group Exhibition of Recent Work" at the Castle Museum. 1947 Dereham, 3–9 July 1947, "Exhibition as an Experiment", Exhibition of recent works of modern Norwich Artists at The Assembly Rooms. 1948 Norwich, June 1948, "Twenty Group Exhibition" Exhibition of painting, sculpture and works in black and white at the Castle Museum. 1948 Great Yarmouth, July 1948, "Exhibition of painting, sculpture and works in black and white" at the Yarmouth Public Library. 1949 Norwich, 8–25 June 1949, "Annual Exhibition" at Suckling House. 1949 Lowestoft, 5–19 July 1949, "Annual Exhibition" at the Lowestoft Art Centre. 1949 Great Yarmouth, 23 July-6 August 1949, "Annual Exhibition" at the Great Yarmouth Public Library & Museum.
1950s 1950 Norwich, 8–16 July 1950, "Open Air Exhibition" Exhibition of Drawings, Paintings, Sculpture at the Castle Gardens. 1951 Norwich, 18 June–July 1951, "Festival Exhibition" Exhibition of Drawings, Paintings, Sculpture at the Cathedral Cloisters, Norwich Cathedral. 1952 Lowestoft, 15–23 February 1952, "Exhibition" Drawing, Painting and Sculpture at the Lowestoft Art Centre. 1952 Norwich, June 1952, "Spring Exhibition" Exhibition of paintings, drawings and sculpture at the Castle Museum. 1953 Norwich, Oct. 1953, "Exhibition by Teachers of Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Design" – Geoffrey Wales, Hubert Forward and John Rowbottom, Members of the Norwich Twenty Group at the Art School, St. George's. 1953 Wells-Next-the-Sea, 28 July-2 Aug. 1952, "Exhibition" at the Centre. 1953 Norwich, 7–21 May 1953, "Spring Exhibition" Exhibition of paintings, drawings and sculpture at the Castle Museum. 1954 Norwich, 29 May-15 June 1954, "1954 Exhibition" Annual Exhibition of drawing, painting and sculpture at the Castle Museum. 1955 Norwich, 26 Nov.-10 Dec. 1955, "Little Winter Exhibition" Exhibition of drawing, painting and sculpture at the Flint House Gallery. 1955 Norwich, Mar.1955, "Exhibition" at the Castle Museum. 1956 Norwich, 2–16 June 1956, "Exhibition" at Curl's New Store. 1956 Lynn, 12-22 Oct. 1956, "First Exhibition held outside of Norwich" at the Undercroft, Guildhall of St George. 1956 Hintlesham, summer 1956, "Exhibition of sculpture" at the Hintlesham Festival. 1956 Eye, "Exhibition in aid of the Hungarian Relief Fund". 1957 Aldeburgh, summer 1957, "Exhibition of sculpture" at the Aldeburgh Festival. 1957 Norwich, 22 June-6 July 1957, "Annual Exhibition" of Painting, Drawing, and Sculpture - a number of sculptures were shown in the garden of the Assembly House. 1958 Norwich, Feb.-Mar. 1958, "Annual Exhibition of painting and sculpture" at the Castle Museum. 1959 Norwich, 16–30 May 1959, "Annual Exhibition of painting, sculpture and engraving" at the Assembly House.
1960s 1960 Norwich, 1-28 Feb. 1960, "Exhibition of painting, sculpture and engraving" at the Castle Museum. 1961 Norwich, 11-25 Feb. 1961, "Exhibition of recent works of Painting, Sculpture and Engraving" at the Assembly House. 1961 Norwich, 27-May-11 June 1961, "Triennial Festival - Exhibition of Drawing, Painting & Sculpture" at the Cathedral Cloisters. 1962 Norwich, 21 April-13 May 1962, "Spring Exhibition" Exhibition of recent works of Painting, Sculpture and Engraving at the Castle Museum. 1962 Ipswich, 28 May-8 June 1962, "Exhibition of paintings, engravings and sculpture" at the Civic College Foyer. 1963 Great Yarmouth, 1-27 Apr. 1963, "Norwich 20 Group Exhibition" at the Great Yarmouth Public Library & Museum. 1963 Norwich, 12-26 Oct. 1963, "Exhibition of recent works of painting, sculpture and engraving" at the Assembly House. 1964 Norwich, 30 May-21 June 1964, "20-Group Exhibition" Exhibition featured in the Norwich Triennial at the Castle Museum. 1965 Diss, Apr.1965, "Co-operative Exhibition between the Diss Society for Music and the Arts and the Norwich Twenty Group". 1965 Norwich, 1–30 May 1965, "Exhibition" at the Castle Museum. 1965 Fakenham,10-15 May 1965, "Exhibition" at the Fakenham Festival of Music and The Arts. 1965 Norwich, spring 1965, "20 Group Exhibition" at the Library, University of East Anglia. 1965 Norwich, Nov.1965, "Exhibition" at Tom Watts' shop. 1966 Norwich, 7–28 May 1966, "Exhibition of painting, sculpture and print making" , University of East Anglia. 1966 Aldeburgh, 10-26 Sept.1966, "Aldeburgh Exhibition" at the Festival Gallery. 1966 Norwich, 5-27 Nov. 1966, "Annual Exhibition" at the Castle Museum. 1966 Norwich, Dec. 1966-Jan.1967, "Exhibition" at the Bedford Grill. 1967 Norwich, 1–10 June 1967, "20 Group in Cloisters" Triennial Festival Exhibition at the Cathedral Cloisters. 1967 Norwich, 4-26 Nov. 1967, "Annual Exhibition" Exhibition of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture at the Castle Museum. 1968 Oxford, 17 June-31 July 1968, "Exhibition" at the Oxford Gallery. 1968 Sudbury, 6–28 July 1968, "Exhibition" at Gainsborough's House. 1968 Norwich, 18 Nov.-7 Dec. 1968, "Annual Exhibition" at the Maddermarket Theatre. 1969 London, Jan.-Febr.1969, "Exhibition of East Anglian Artists" including many of the N20G Members at the Royal Institute Gallery. 1969 Norwich, 17 Nov.-6 Dec. 1969, "Annual Exhibition" at the Maddermarket Theatre.
1970s 1970 Norwich, 28 Febr.-29 Mar. 1970, "Norwich Twenty Group Annual Exhibition" at the Castle Museum. 1970 NORFOLK, 17-18 Oct. 1970, "Artists at Home" Norfolk & Norwich Triennial Festival. 1971 Norwich, 6-28 Febr.1971, "Annual Exhibition" at the Castle Museum. 1971 King's Lynn,5-24 Apr.1971, "Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture" at the Fermoy Art Gallery. 1971 Norwich, 14 May–June 1971, "Exhibition" at the Norwich Theatre Royal. 1972 Norwich, 17 Apr.-6 May 1972, "Annual Exhibition" at the Cow Gallery. 1972 Norwich, 11 Nov.-10 Dec. 1972, "Annual Exhibition" at the Castle Museum. 1973 Halesworth, 7–20 July 1973, "Exhibition" at the Halesworth Gallery. 1974 Norwich, 2 Feb.-3 Mar.1974, "Annual Exhibition with a special tribute to Leslie Davenport" Exhibition of drawings, paintings, prints, sculpture at the Castle Museum. 1975 Ipswich, 12 April-10 May 1975, "Exhibition of paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture" at the Art Gallery. 1975 Norwich, 11 Oct.-16 Nov. 1975, "Annual Exhibition" Exhibition of paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture at the Castle Museum. 1976 King's Lynn, 1–27 March 1976, "Exhibition" at the Fermoy Gallery. 1976 Halesworth, 12–25 June 1976, "Exhibition" at the Halesworth Gallery. 1977 Norwich, 23 Jan.-21 Feb. 1977, "Annual Exhibition of Paintings, Drawings Prints & Sculpture" with a performance by Jill Bruce and Bruce Lacey called "Awakening in the Eye of the Bird" at the Castle Museum. 1978 Norwich, 11 Nov.-10 Dec. 1978, "Annual Exhibition" at the Castle Museum. 1979 (information to be updated at a later date)
1980s 1980 Norwich, 7 June - 6 July 1980, "Retrospective Exhibition 1944–1980" at the Castle Museum. 1981 Norwich, 2-20 Mar. 1981, "Annual Show" at the Library Concourse, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park.