NPG - Press-Cuttings

The press-cuttings albums provide a record of how the Gallery and its activities are perceived and received by the public and press. They are regularly presented to the Trustees at quarterly Board meetings in order to demonstrate how the Gallery has performed in relation to recent activity.

Albums are arranged in the following sub-sequences: Gallery exhibitions; staff; projects and initiatives; education; regional partnerships and national programmes; visitors and public reputation. All significant Gallery activities generate an album of cuttings; the more popular or noteworthy (generally exhibitions) frequently generate two or three.

The Gallery has compiled albums of press-cuttings since its foundation in 1856 to the present day. For the first 100 years of its history, cuttings were organised into the following two sequences:
- General:- containing cuttings relating to sitters (ie. obituaries; biographical extracts); portraits; and the Gallery (eg. about significant events; staff; Trustees etc.)
- Sales:- containing cuttings relating specifically to portraits in other collections.

In the 1960s when the Gallery expanded significantly, two additional sequences were added to the above: general arts and photography.

By 1975 the Gallery had its own dedicated press office and was able to divert more resources to pursuing and documenting press related activity. In order to reflect this, an entirely new sequence of press-cuttings was established: cuttings were organised by subject matter, with a new album created for each significant Gallery activity. There are individuals albums for most exhibitions and displays; as well as those concerning tourism and visitors; commissions and acquisitions; building and refurbishment; significant Gallery projects and events.

Today, Gallery activity generates a huge amount of press coverage. An external agency is employed to scour the press and identify relevant copy; cuttings are forwarded to the Gallery's communications and development department who compile them into albums.

Available to view by appointment in the Heinz Archive and Library Public Study Room, to make an appointment contact Archive Reception . Although records are generally available for public consultation, some information in them, such as personal data or information supplied to the Gallery in confidence, may be restricted.

The complete catalogue for this archive can be searched via the NPG Archive Catalogue .

Personal photography is permitted for research purposes only. Photocopying is not permitted.

The Gallery also collects press-cuttings concerning portraits; portraiture; sitters and artists - these cuttings are filed into different archive series: Notes on Sitters (NPG49); Notes on Artists (NPG50); or the Registered Packets (NPG46).