Brief history

It was founded in 1956 to help and encourage the Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery to acquire work in the modern idiom to balance its fine collections of the nineteenth-century Norwich School of painters. Over the years, ncas has provided the means to augment its contemporary art collection and this now forms the basis of holdings in post-war art in the Castle.

Events

The Society also mounts a lively programme of monthly events, mostly in Norwich, which include lectures by artists, critics and art historians, studio and gallery visits, art auctions, invitations to private views, and other social events for its members. For the latest information click here

Small Grants

ncas now offers small grants of up to £500 twice a year to artists and other creatives who are ncas members and have strong links to Norfolk. The next deadline for the Autumn round is 31 August 2026 midnight. Please check the website for details. Read all guidance and apply here.

Exhibitions

We seek to curate and show the very best of contemporary art across the region.

Current and upcoming exhibitions include Seven Decades of Contemporary Art Society: Norfolk Contemporary Art Society at Norwich Castle which runs until end May 2027 and Held Together an ncas members’ exhibition of small works which will run at Anteros Arts Foundation from 29 September until 11 October. Click here for more information,

Become a member

Membership of ncas offers a range of creative and social benefits for artists, collectors, students, and anyone interested in contemporary art, including:

Invitations to artist talks, studio visits, and cultural events that deepen engagement with contemporary practice.  Members receive discounted prices for ncas events.

Opportunities to exhibit work in group exhibitions.

Access to a community of practicing artists, curators, collectors, and supporters of contemporary art, which provides a myriad networking opportunities.

Support for emerging and established artists within Norfolk’s cultural landscape through small grants.

Free membership is available to students currently studying at Norwich University of the Arts, University of East Anglia, and City College Norwich.

Members also receive free access to Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery and Norwich Castle.

  Join today

Frequently Asked Questions

Trustees

Elizabeth Maw, Chair

Elizabeth has over thirty years’ marketing and media relations experience specialising in personal finance and professional services. She worked in-house at Aviva (formerly Norwich Union) in the press office and public affairs teams, and self-employed, agency-side since co-establishing Maw Communications in 2006. Liz has a life-long passion for the visual arts and crafts. She is currently studying for a Masters in Fine Art at Norwich University of the Arts, also a graduate member of the Norwich 20 Group. For several years, she volunteered for the local Sue Ryder charity shop and was treasurer for The Friends of Heigham Park.

Dr Nick Warr, Vice Chair

Nick is Associate Professor of Art History and Curation at the University of East Anglia and Academic Director of the East Anglian Film Archive. His research explores how artists, archives, and exhibitions shape our understanding of place, identity, and history–especially in Norfolk. An award-winning author and experienced curator, he works closely with museums, collections, and artists to bring the region’s creative past and present into public view. At UEA, he teaches across art history and curatorial studies, linking theory with practice. He’s committed to collaboration, public engagement, and supporting contemporary art that reflects and enriches local communities.

Anne Aves, Treasurer

Anne has been ncas treasurer since August 2022 and a trustee since July 2023. Her background is further and higher education. Anne retired after 30 years on the computing teaching staff at City College Norwich as a lecturer, senior lecturer, Head of Department and delivered European Social Fund projects for dis-engaged young people. Since 2007 she has been chair and treasurer for John Aves Education Project and so understands the reporting requirements of the Charity Commission, including Gift Aid. Anne says “I was delighted that my three Leslie Davenport oils formed part of the ncas Post-War People and Place in September 2024.”

Rachel Collier-Wilson

Rachel is a multidisciplinary artist, curator, and educator based in Norwich, holding a BA (Hons) from Central Saint Martins and an MA in Fine Art from the University of the Arts, Norwich. Their work is grounded in a love of drawing, often exploring gender identity, sexuality, and lived experience, while also drawing inspiration from nature and the LGBTQ+ community. They have exhibited widely across the UK and internationally, including in Boston and Auckland. Rachel is the founder and director of a Queer Arts Festival in Norwich, QueerFest, which coincides with LGBTQ+ History Month every February.

Selwyn Taylor

Selwyn studied Typographic Design at Camberwell School of Art & Design, London and before retiring was a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers. Selwyn was director of design consultancy Selwyn Taylor Limited for 40 years. He was Associate Lecturer in Graphic Design, Graphic Communication and Typography at Norwich University of the Art from 1976 to 2014. Joining ncas in 2012, he became vice chair in 2019 and chair in 2025. Selwyn co-curated several ncas members’ exhibitions, ncas sponsored Port-to-Port exhibition in Great Yarmouth and Kings Lynn, Post-War People and Place, Leslie Davenport, Robert Fox exhibition and Geoffrey Lefever: A Retrospective at 90, both at the Crypt Gallery in Norwich. He has published books on East Anglian artists Bridget Heriz, John Kiki, Derek Morris, Emrys Parry, Geoffrey Lefever and Peter Davis.

Danusia Wurm

Danusia moved to Norwich in 2018, having lived and worked in London and various overseas postings during her career in Government Service. Her last job was Head of Advertising in UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) where she was responsible for marketing the UK as the No 1 destination for international investment. Formerly a Trustee of the charity SMAAK (St Michael & All Angels Kingsland), Danusia was responsible for managing 40+ artists showing at the annual HArt (Herefordshire Art Week) for several years, under the SMAAK banner. She was also Trustee of The Teddy Trust. Danusia has since embarked on her second career as an artist sculpting in bronze and clay.

Our Patrons

Shirley Cargill
James Colman
Laurence Edwards
Matthew Flowers
Maggi Hambling
Caroline Jarrold
Nichola Johnson
Paul King
Andrew Moore
Colin Self
The Singh Twins
Alan Waters

Richard Wentworth

Past Patrons

Penny Allen
Sir Timothy Colman
Bill English
Angela Flowers
George Melly

Our Constitution

Join the Committee

If you have time to donate to a good cause, and you have an interest in contemporary art, then do consider joining our committee. If you’re interested in having an active involvement in the running of the Society, then please contact the Secretary or any other Trustee in the first instance. Assuming a vacancy exists, a period of co-option to the committee can then be made before future nomination as a Trustee.

You will eventually need to be nominated and seconded and then elected at the next appropriate AGM. Contact us