The National Portrait Gallery and FRAMELESS Creative, the UK’s leading creator of immersive experiences, announced today the line-up for Stories – Brought to Life, the first immersive art experience of a UK national collection, opening to the public at MediaCity in Manchester on Friday 2 May and running until Sunday 31 August ahead of a planned national tour with dates to be announced. Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin, Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Elizabeth II, #NcutiGatwa, Audrey Hepburn, Dorothy Hodgkin, Mai, #NelsonMandela , Emmeline Pankhurst, Grayson Perry, #MarySeacole, William Shakespeare, #AmyWinehouse, Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf, Malala Yousafzai @npgunframedtour @mediacityUK
Opening at #MediaCity in Manchester on Friday 2 May
(From left to right): Malala Yousafzai, NPG 7052 Malala Yousafzai by Shirin Neshat, 2018 © National Portrait Gallery, London. With thanks to the Malala Fund / Extracurricular; Sir Grayson Perry, NPG x139888 Sir Grayson Perry by Richard Ansett. Commissioned for BBC Radio 4’s Reith Lectures 2013 by Anna Lenihan, BBC Pictures. © BBC. With thanks to Sir Grayson Perry Studio / Victoria Miro Gallery; Audrey Hepburn, NPG x40180 Audrey Hepburn by Cecil Beaton, Cecil Beaton Archive 1954. © Condé Nast. With thanks to the Estate of Audrey Hepburn; Ncuti Gatwa, NPG x203001 Ncuti Gatwa by Jonangelo Molinari, August 2022. © Photographer Jonangelo Molinari. With thanks to Ncuti Gatwa / Curtis Brown, London.
The groundbreaking new immersive, cinematic show, from the creators of FRAMELESS, promises to redefine the gallery experience, with an emotionally charged spectacle that pushes the boundaries of creative storytelling.
Visitors will step into a world where the sitters’ stories come alive. This unique experience explores the fascinating lives behind some of the most iconic faces from the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection who have shaped the UK’s history and culture. From royalty and cultural icons to fearless leaders and national heroes, past and present, their stories will unfold in an unforgettable journey that fuses the best of art, technology and powerful human storytelling.
Featured people include Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin, Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Elizabeth II, Ncuti Gatwa, Audrey Hepburn, Dorothy Hodgkin, Mai, Nelson Mandela, Emmeline Pankhurst, Grayson Perry, Mary Seacole, William Shakespeare, Amy Winehouse, Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf and Malala Yousafzai.
The stories will be presented on a spectacular scale, travelling across specially created frames, drawing on unprecedented access to industry leading visual effects, music and imagery, to give visitors a new way to experience some of the stories that form part of the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection.
For its premiere in Manchester, Stories – Brought to Life will be presented in a specially designed, 10,000 sq ft state of the art, immersive digital gallery in the heart of MediaCity.
The FRAMELESS team, including production partner Cinesite, the leading digital Hollywood visual effects company, known for their contributions to blockbuster films including the Harry Potter and the Marvel franchises, has worked closely with the expert curators at the National Portrait Gallery to tell the authentic, inspiring stories of some of its most loved sitters. The new experience brings together a rich tapestry of media, from archival content and photography to excerpts from powerful speeches and original animation.
Ryan ‘Woody’ Atwood, Creative Director for FRAMELESS Creative, said: “Working with a cultural institution like the National Portrait Gallery has been a unique experience, especially having the opportunity to draw upon the deep knowledge and passion of the curatorial team. But the magic has also come from studying the sitters and working with the families, estates and the sitters themselves to understand more about the individuals behind the portraits. Being able to delve deep into the life stories of the individuals and then bring them to life through the power of emotional, immersive storytelling has been a very special experience and we’re excited to share this with the public when we open in Manchester in May.”
Rab MacGibbon, Cross-Collections Curator, National Portrait Gallery, said: “The National Portrait Gallery is home to the largest collection of portraits in the world and hanging on our walls are some of the most remarkable people to have ever lived. Working with the team from FRAMELESS, and through exploring new technologies and creative approaches, has allowed us to look at the Collection is a completely new light. We are embarking on a journey of discovery, which we hope will inspire and entertain a new audience.”
Stories – Brought to Life is presented through an innovative new partnership, National Portrait Gallery Unframed, between the National Portrait Gallery and FRAMELESS, the leading creator of immersive experiences. To create the experience, the National Portrait Gallery granted FRAMELESS’ award-winning team access to its Collection.
The experience will open to the public on 2 May and run until 31 August at #MediaCity, Salford, Greater Manchester, before going on a UK tour (dates to be announced).
Visit npgunframed.com to buy tickets or for more information.
Follow the official Facebook and Instagram accounts for further information and announcements: @npgunframedtour
OPENING HOURS:
Monday to Thursday: 10am – 7pm (last entry slot 5.30pm)
Friday to Sunday: 10am – 8pm (last entry slot 6.30pm)
TICKET PRICES:
Stories – Brought to Life ticket pricing varies based on demand. For best prices book online in advance.
Adult & Child (from 5 years of age):
Adult from £21.95 / Child from £11.95
On the day – Adult from £23.95 / Child from £13.95
Flexi Ticket
Flexible entry time any slot on a chosen day – Adult from £26.95 / Child from £16.95
Family Ticket
2 adults & 2 children from £55
Only available online / in advance
Book Tickets at www.npgunframed.com
Concessions & Discounts:
- Students (via Student Beans): 25% discount
- Blue Light Card holders: 25% discount
- Pension Credit / Benefits: 25% discount, available on Mondays only
- Carer Tickets: free entry for one carer with the purchase of a disabled ticket
- £10 ‘Affordable’ Tickets – limited number – available on selected Mondays only
ABOUT FRAMELESS
Passionate about creative storytelling, FRAMELESS Creative is transforming how people consume and enjoy art and culture thereby engaging new audiences by making them accessible to all. FRAMELESS is a leading content and IP creator, producing world class innovative experiences, using the global language of art, music and culture.
The company’s multi-award-winning flagship venue, FRAMELESS, at Marble Arch, London, opened in 2022 as the capital’s first permanent immersive art experience in four galleries over 30,000 square feet showcasing some of the world’s greatest works of art on a scale and in ways never seen before.
FRAMELESS’ official production partner, the acclaimed digital production studio, Cinesite, has an impressive three-decade legacy, marked by contributions to a multitude of world class films, TV series and streaming productions.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
Founded in 1856, the National Portrait Gallery tells the story of Britain through portraits, using art to bring history to life and explore living today.
From global icons, to unsung heroes, the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection is filled with the stories that have shaped, and continue to shape a nation. The NPG celebrates the power of portraiture and offer encounters with some of the world’s greatest and most exciting new artists, promoting engagement with portraiture in all media to a wide-ranging public by conserving, growing and sharing the world’s largest collection of portraits.
ABOUT STORIES – BROUGHT TO LIFE
Stories – Brought to Life is a new experience from FRAMELESS Creative, a leading creator of immersive experiences and the National Portrait Gallery. The first experience from a new long-term partnership, ‘National Portrait Gallery Unframed’, will explore the lives of people featured in the Gallery’s Collection who have shaped the UK’s history and culture, from the Tudor period to the present day.
The first major touring experience inspired by a UK institution, it will open at Media City, Salford, Greater Manchester on 2 May, ahead of a planned national and international tour.
ABOUT CINESITE
Established in 1991, the Cinesite group is a global house of award-winning creative brands with a rich history in creating animation & visual effects for film, television, streaming media and immersive entertainment. Credited with some of the most iconic cinematic moments, the group is a powerhouse of industry-leading talent and technologies across the world’s hottest production and rebate locations. The group brings together world-leading visual effects & animation studios, Cinesite, Image Engine, Trixter, FX3X, The Imaginarium Studios & Assemblage Entertainment, Squeeze & L’Atelier Animation. In 2024 Cinesite became Frameless’ Official Production Partner as part of a long-term partnership.
