Arts Council of Great Britain News

The National Portrait Gallery has unveiled a large portrait of its former Director Sandy Nairne by Chuck Close, it was announced today, Wed 14 Dec 2016. It is the first portrait by Close to be acquired by the Gallery and the first major work by the American artist to enter a British public collection.

British playwright Arnold Wesker, whose works include 'Chips with Everything' and 'Chicken Soup with Barley', has died at the age of 83.

The National Portrait Gallery has acquired an unpublished photograph of the British conductor Sir Simon Rattle. Rory Coonan took the portrait in 1982 on film, using a 150-year-old plate camera. The acquisition is announced to mark Sir Simon's 60th birthday, today, Monday 19 January 2015, and ahead of his concerts in London with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, of which Liverpool-born Rattle is Principal Conductor.

Sandy Nairne has decided to step down in February 2015 as director of the National Portrait Gallery, London, after 12 years, to pursue his writing and advisory work, it was announced today, Thursday 12 June 2014.

Simon Stephens will deliver the keynote platform at conference 'Turning the Page: Creating New Writing (1945-2013)' at the University of Reading on September 13th 2013.