A burst of expensive ultramarine blue on the walls of South Shields Museum should tell you you’re looking at a very posh painting indeed—Pierre Mignard’s portrait of the Marquise de Seignelay and Two of her Sons (1691). Not that this French noblewoman ap…

The Newcastle University MFA & MA Fine Art Degree Show is at the Hatton Gallery this August. There is a distinct, electric energy inside a Fine Art Degree Show that you simply cannot get anywhere else. It is the sound of absolute creative freedom, raw…

Marking Papua New Guinea’s landmark 50th Anniversary of Independence, the Great North Museum: Hancock is giving us ‘Celebrating WanBel’, a stunning exploration of the nation’s rich cultural legacy. This free-entry exhibition joins a global museum initi…

Get ready to immerse your senses at Sunderland Culture’s latest captivating exhibition, ‘Chroma: A Measure of Colour’. This striking showcase dives deep into the emotional, physical, and psychological power of the colour spectrum, exploring how hue an…

The latest show at the Biscuit Factory in Newcastle brings together a number of artists who are examining the gentle unfolding of the sunniest of all seasons. I’ve fallen head over heels for many of the pieces currently showing at this magnificent sho…

The extraordinary work of Tish Murtha is celebrated in the latest exhibition at Baltic in a new show which also highlights the keen eye of Kuba Ryniewicz. As titles go, ‘Close to Home’ couldn’t get much closer to the home area it reflects. The photograp…

In their mission to break down barriers to creative careers in the north-east, arts organisation The NewBridge Project is accepting applications for the next edition of their game-changing development programme ‘Create/Disrupt’. A free 11-month develop…

This year, the Mining Art Gallery at The Auckland Project are marking the centenary of Tom McGuinness with a powerful retrospective, ‘Out of the Darkness’. A true “quiet man” of the north-east, Tom McGuinness used his art not merely to document the minin…

The latest fascinating exhibition at Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery in Alnwick looks at the 1950s and 1960s – two decades of major social change. This wide-ranging show beautifully captures a period of rapid acceleration, bookended by postwar austerity a…

What transforms a simple object into a legendary find? ‘Treasure: Hidden, Lost, Found’ at the Great North Museum: Hancock invites you to explore the captivating world of archaeology and the enduring allure of “treasure”. This major exhibition brings toge…

‘Starting Lines’ at Baltic is an installation exploring creativity, collaboration and community, and it’s the first major exhibition by north-east-based artists, designers and educators Adam Phillips and Deborah Bower (known as Foundation Press). Root…

Faith Richardson dons her best tartan trews and whisks herself off to The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle to check out a new exhibition that celebrates the extraordinary creations of Vivienne Westwood. When you think of Vivienne Westwood, you probably …

‘Meadow of Memories’ is a unique sculpture that offers you the chance to create a lasting and meaningful tribute to someone you love. In the heart of the Tyneside, a unique and poignant art project is taking shape to honour those we have lost. The ‘Me…

‘Following the Eagle’ at Segedunum is an extraordinary showcase of rare bronze Roman military artefacts and military diplomas. And when I say ‘diplomas’, I don’t mean those things universities dish out on bits of paper. I’m talking diplomas inscribed …

Two important shows are opening at the Laing Art Gallery this March that will invite visitors to embark upon a profound journey through the human experience with exhibitions that bridge the gap between historic portrait tradition and cutting-edge contempo…

The late Milly Thompson’s final works explore sun-drenched summer holidays and romantic novels as spaces for escapism and sensual self-reinvention. Part of the renowned BANK artist group, Milly Thompson went on to establish a solo practice in which she…

Half a car? Yep, and it’s just one of the things you can see at ‘Steam to Green: A North East Energy Revolution’, which you can see at the Discovery Museum in Newcastle. This well-regarded exhibition has certainly been pulling in the punters and with g…