The National Acrylic Painters’ Association and the 2025 Exhibition

The National Acrylic Painters’ Association (NAPA) marks its 40th year in 2025, continuing a long-standing commitment to promoting acrylic painting as a respected discipline in its own right. Formed in 1985 by Ken Hodgson, the association grew from the view that acrylic paint deserved recognition equal to oil and watercolour – both of which gained their status through dedicated organisations and clearly defined traditions. Acrylics, by contrast, were still seen by many as a newer alternative rather than a fully-fledged medium with its own strengths, techniques, and artistic identity.

NAPA was created to challenge that perception. Acrylic paint is one of the most significant developments in twentieth-century art: adaptable, technically varied, and capable of supporting approaches that range from precise realism to expressive abstraction. Its quick-drying nature, wide tonal reach, and compatibility with both traditional and experimental techniques offer artists near-limitless possibilities. NAPA’s founding principle was that such versatility should be championed, explored, and celebrated.

Since its inaugural exhibition in 1985, the association has presented annual shows across the UK, including venues such as the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Gallery, the Westminster Gallery in London, the Durham Art Gallery and St David’s Hall in Cardiff. Later exhibitions extended to the Black Sheep Gallery at Hawarden Castle, the Oxmarket Gallery in Chichester, the Rooksmoor Gallery in Bath, the Crypt Gallery in St Ives, and the Wells and Mendip Museum. In recent years, Kennaway House in Sidmouth has become a regular setting for NAPA’s annual exhibition, offering a welcoming space for members to present new work.

Membership spans artists who either make their living from art or maintain a professional approach to their practice, regardless of background, age, or stylistic preference. The association values experimentation and imagination as highly as formal discipline, creating a community where traditional, contemporary, and innovative uses of acrylic paint are given equal space.

NAPA has also enjoyed longstanding support from Daler-Rowney, whose continued development of acrylic materials reflects a shared belief in the medium’s potential. Each year, Daler-Rowney sponsors the Best British Painting award, offering a selection of art materials selected by an independent adjudicator.

For 2025, the award was presented to NAPA member Paul Geraghty at the annual exhibition at Kennaway House, Sidmouth. Reflecting on the experience, Paul said:

“I feel very fortunate to have been awarded the Daler-Rowney Prize at this year’s NAPA exhibition in Sidmouth. It was quite a surprise as there was so much high-quality work on show once again from our members. Since becoming a member of NAPA in 2002, I have found that the award has always been very much appreciated by all our members as it provides the winner with a generous amount of Daler-Rowney art materials, to the value of £150, which can then be used in creating new works.

This year’s prize consisted of a wide range of System3 materials, all of which are compatible with each other. Some are very familiar to me and are used regularly and some are new.

*My box of “goodies” included:
– System3 Heavy Body Acrylics. These are a mainstay when working in my studio. They have high pigment and colour strength. The excellent covering power is particularly useful when painting over dark backgrounds or using impasto.
– System3 Acrylic, a versatile acrylic with a smooth, soft consistency which I use for covering larger areas, especially as many of my canvases are a metre square.
– System3 Acrylic Inks for staining canvas or paper using a brush or the refillable marker pen provided.
– System3 Acrylic Fluid, which is new to me. Its smooth flow can be used straight from the tube or mixed with System3 Pouring Medium for dripping, pouring, or glazing. It opens up unfamiliar avenues to explore.

I also received a selection of Daler-Rowney brushes and a book demonstrating the many techniques that can be used with System3 Acrylics.

Many thanks to Daler-Rowney. I will endeavour to make best use of these excellent materials.”

Paul’s reflections highlight the spirit of NAPA’s annual exhibition: a meeting point for artists who treat acrylic painting as both a craft and a continuously evolving field. The 2025 exhibition once again demonstrated the depth and variety that acrylics can achieve, from expressive texture to refined detail, reinforcing the association’s founding belief that the medium deserves its own platform.

As NAPA moves through its fortieth year, the association continues to uphold its original purpose: supporting artists, expanding the creative possibilities of acrylic paint, and ensuring that the medium receives the recognition and respect it has long earned.

Find out more about NAPA: https://www.napa-uk.art/