A groundbreaking experiment in community-led governance is transforming how art galleries operate, with the New Art Exchange (NAE) in Nottingham becoming what it believes to be the world's first cultural institution to hand permanent leadership to a citizens' assembly. Felix, a 20-year-old nursing student, exemplifies this transformation: "I used to see this place on the street but I didn't know what was here, I didn't even know it was an art gallery. And now I'm here shaping its future."
The innovative approach involves 40 residents of Hyson Green, a diverse neighborhood in Nottingham where 52 languages are spoken, making all major decisions for the gallery. These community members determine everything from programming events and exhibitions to budget allocations and artist selections. Since the initiative began, they have successfully allocated $285,000 in funding, demonstrating their capacity for significant financial stewardship.
"Without citizens and community around the table shaping the direction and showing the horizon, we would quickly become an average organization," explains Saad Eddine Said, chief executive and artistic director at NAE, which serves as the UK's largest gallery dedicated to African, Caribbean, and South Asian artists. He emphasizes the neighborhood's cultural wealth: "This neighborhood is such a huge treasure of culture and of talent so we wanted it to play a key role, not just in terms of consultancy, but in real terms of co-leadership."
The citizens' assembly has already made dramatic changes to the gallery's operations, some of which challenged conventional wisdom. Assembly members determined that a street gallery designed to attract visitors was actually intimidating and off-putting, leading to its complete removal. Instead, they redirected resources toward transforming the cafe into a more welcoming space that would naturally draw people inside. Additionally, after identifying a lack of Friday evening social venues as a major community problem, NAE began hosting poetry readings and DJ events that now attract large crowds.
"We believe in [the assembly] and we don't want it to become just a trendy thing, just ticking boxes," Said emphasizes. "Removing the street gallery felt counterintuitive to us. But straight away that street gallery was in the bin, and in the bin forever. It didn't matter whether we understood it. There is no compromise in that conversation." This commitment to genuine power-sharing represents a radical departure from traditional cultural institution governance.
Adam Roe, the gallery's executive director, addresses concerns about administrative power loss: "I've been asked: Do you think that you've lost power as a result of this? Actually, I think I've gained power. Collectively, we've got so much more knowledge because we're doing the things we know we need to do. And some of the artists and the performers we work with now we probably would never have known about before."
While citizens' assemblies have historically been used in local democracy and public policy to gauge national opinion, their application to cultural institutions represents a growing trend. The National Gallery announced in August that it was creating a citizens' assembly of 50 people from across the UK who will make recommendations to be developed by a smaller citizens' panel over five years. Similarly, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery recruited a citizens' jury in 2024, which published recommendations including extended opening hours and increased promotion of young people's work.
However, skepticism exists regarding the effectiveness of these initiatives and whether senior leadership teams view them as genuine decision-making bodies or merely public engagement exercises. Assembly members at NAE acknowledge these concerns but report positive experiences. "Lots of people were very skeptical and wondering whether anything would come of this," says Lily, a 21-year-old fine art graduate, sitting alongside Rudy, a 70-year-old retired youth worker. "I'm impressed they've actually done the things we said."
Many assembly members express frustration with how their neighborhood, Hyson Green, is typically portrayed in media coverage. The area has some of the highest deprivation rates in the country and frequently receives attention for crime, antisocial behavior, and illegal dumping. "I've lived out here a long time, and I was skeptical, and I was cynical, because I've seen so many initiatives come and go," explains Kathy, a retired resident. "This area has been ignored and if people experience the negative for too long, it can disempower them. So for me, it has been a real boost. I feel invigorated by being part of this process."
The results of this community-led approach have exceeded expectations in measurable ways. Said reports that while the assembly was "hugely expensive and time consuming to set up," it has generated dramatically positive impacts. Overall engagement at NAE has increased by 22 percent, and the number of visitors from global ethnic majority backgrounds has grown by 48 percent. These statistics demonstrate tangible benefits of the community governance model.
Building on this success, Said has developed a comprehensive blueprint that other organizations can use to implement similar citizens' assemblies. He views this model as particularly valuable during challenging times for cultural institutions: "It has helped us navigate one of the most challenging times for the cultural and art industry in a very long time – just look at how many organizations are closing down. Our citizens make us relevant." This approach may offer a sustainable path forward for cultural institutions seeking deeper community connections and enhanced relevance in an increasingly difficult operating environment.
