'A house you simply must see' the Telegraph

Readers of the local press and those taking the Telegraph may have read of the splendid events surrounding the opening of the final part of 78 Derngate: The Charles Rennie Mackintosh House & Galleries. After 9 years the final piece of the jigsaw is now in place with the completion and opening of the new facilities at 82 Derngate, neighbouring the more famous number 78! The celebratory opening event took place on 12th June with television presenter and special guest, Eric Knowles, describing 78 Derngate as 'a gem of a building in a jewel of a town' This new arts centre houses the glamorous new restaurant/coffee shop, The Dining Room, offering contemporary British food in stylish surroundings. The current exhibition in the new gallery features a collection of watercolours by local artist, Thurston Laidlaw Shoosmith. The exhibition was curated by local fine art expert, Michael Savage, drawn from local collectors of Shoosmith's work. Along with numerous architectural and conservation awards, 78 Derngate has been awarded the status of a Quality Assured Visitor Attraction by Visit Britain with the report stating that we 'provide a very high quality visitor experience'. Last year,visitors to 78 Derngate enjoyed the beautiful new sculpture by Rebecca Newnham called Seedlings. Rebecca took her inspiration from the decoration in the Hall/Lounge in 78 Derngate.

The second part of the Seedlings sculpture will be installed later this year. 78 Derngate is one of the nineteen museums across the East Midlands benefiting from Museumaker. Launched in 2006, Museumaker is an ambitious partnership programme to develop new relationships, new work and new audiences for contemporary craft and museum collections. It brings together three key agencies - Arts Council England, East Midlands, Museums, Libraries, and Archives Council (EMMLAC) and Renaissance, East Midlands – to work collaboratively for the first time.

Museumaker demonstrates how makers can be inspired by archaeological and historical artefacts to make new work. The programme will increase visitor numbers for museums, add new dimensions to existing collections, increase revenue streams for museum shops and expand opportunities for designer makers to place and sell their work. Nineteen museums across the East Midlands region are taking part, ranging from small independent venues in market towns and remote rural areas to large, public sector city museums. Museumaker will invest over £300,000 in three temporary and five permanent commissions at eight of the museums, whilst all will benefit from continual professional development and retail development advice. Funders for Museumaker - The programme is funded by Arts Council England, East Midlands; EMMLAC; Esmée Fairbairn Foundation; Grants for the Arts; Renaissance East Midlands and participating museums.

The participating museums are: Alford Manor House Museum, Lincolnshire www.alfordmanor.com Belgrave Hall, Leicester www.leicestermuseums.ac.uk/museums/museframe.html Boston Guildhall, Lincolnshire www.boston.gov.uk Buxton Art Gallery and Museum, Derbyshire www.derbyshire.gov.uk Castle Museum and Art Gallery, Nottingham www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk Charnwood Museum, Loughborough, Leicestershire www.leics.gov.uk Creswell Crags Museum and Education Centre, Nottinghamshire www.creswell-crags.org.uk Derby Museum and Art Gallery www.derby.gov.uk Flintham Village Museum, Nottinghamshire www.flinthammuseum.org.uk Gainsborough Old Hall, Lincolnshire www.lincolnshire.gov.uk Harborough Museum, Market Harborough, Leicestershire www.leics.gov.uk Louth Naturalists,, Antiquarian & Literary Society, Lincolnshire. Telephone 01507 601211 Mansfield Museum and Art Gallery, Nottinghamshire www.mansfield.gov.uk Melton Carnegie Museum, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire www.leics.gov.uk Newark Museum, Millgate www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk New Walk Museum, Leicester www.leicestermuseums.ac.uk/museums/museframe.html Northampton Museum and Art Gallery www.northampton.gov.uk Oakham Castle and Rutland County Museum, Oakham, Rutland www.rutnet.co.uk 78 Derngate, Northampton www.78derngate.org.uk