The first major retrospective of Sheila Fell’s work in over thirty years can currently be seen at the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens. File under: Unmissable. Sheila Fell died tragically young in 1979 aged only 48. But she left behind a remarkable b…

Visit The Bowes Museum to discover the timeless elegance, craftsmanship and innovation of the Joséphine Bowes’ textile collection. This captivating display features everything from opulent historical textiles to the cutting-edge creations of French hau…

The Expo Sunderland Pavilion is a striking new landmark in the city’s Keel Square, bringing together arts, culture, music and cutting-edge technology to create an inspiring community space. Featuring one of the UK’s largest semi-transparent LED screens…

David Wilson is returning to his native north-east for a show at Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery in Alnwick, which will showcase his colourful mastery of land and seascapes. Something special happens when David Wilson applies paint to a canvas. He deploys…

‘The Coal Town Collection’ is a new gallery opening at the Woodhorn Museum in Northumberland that’s showcasing the work of Mik Critchlow, a photographer who spent decades documenting life and work in his hometown of Ashington. Ashington is renowned for…

The North East Emerging Artist Award is an annual award at Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland and it’s open to final year students or early career artists. Seaton Delaval Hall is always worth a visit at the best of times (I mean, just look at it…) b…

The work of Jim Moir (AKA Vic Reeves) was a huge hit at The Biscuit Factory back in 2023, and this May he returns to the venue with even more of his idiosyncratic pieces. Jim Moir has always been a painter. As he says: “Even while doing Vic and Bob sho…

The two-day after-hours cultural crawl that is The Late Shows returns in May, and this year over 70 vibrant venues are taking part. When The Late Shows’ programme is announced each year, my wandering eye usually alights on something that makes me think…

One of our very favourite art gatherings ‘Printfest’ is back in Ulverston in Cumbria for the first four days of May, and this year the work is absolutely jaw-dropping. Jaw-dropping? Sure, I’m standing by that, and when it comes to the work of Margaret …

The Woodhorn Museum in Ashington is the place you need to head if you’d like to see the wonderful Northumberland Open Exhibition in all its glory. The sheer breadth and scale of this year’s Northumberland Open Exhibition is staggering with 379 artwork…

‘Remember, Somewhere’ is a remarkable exhibition at Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art that brings together the work of twin sisters Laura Lancaster and Rachel Lancaster. What do we speak of when we speak of a life? Look around you. Is it your house, y…

Just opened at the National Gallery for Contemporary Art in Sunderland is the largest ever exhibition of UK hobbies. Award-winning artist and Spider-Man enthusiast Hetain Patel is the mover and groover behind ‘Come As You Really Are’, an exhibition tha…

The Wey Aye LEGO Man 2025 photography exhibition returns to Newcastle in early May. These exhibitions – which are a real celebration of creativity and community – proudly champion neurodiverse artists by providing them with a platform to showcase their…

Go deep into the story behind Middlesbrough iconic sculpture ‘Bottle of Notes’ at Mima. ‘Bottle of Notes’ is the only UK work by celebrated artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, and over the last thirty years that it’s been in situ, the nine-…

The Biscuit Factory has Fiona Sturrock as their headline artist for their famed spring exhibition, which is set to open this March. Many artists try their hand at that still life staple that is the vase of flowers, but most don’t succeed in producing anyt…

We’ve had a sneak preview of some of the amazing exhibitions that are set to light up Baltic in 2025 – which we detail below – but one show that you simply must go and see is Mani Kambo’s ‘Ax-is Mun-di’, which is open to visitors now. Mani Kambo: Ax-is…

‘Sustainable Clay’ at the Hatton Gallery in Newcastle explores the environmental impact of this naturally occurring material. Potters and artists have long valued clay for its connection to a particular place, the very earth beneath our feet, but they…

The wonderful Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle is celebrating the 200th anniversary and artistic vision of museum co-founder Joséphine Bowes with a fantastic new exhibition entitled ‘From Joséphine Bowes Trendsetters and Trailblazers’. Joséphine Bowes w…

The Story – the knockout visitor attraction, which opened in Durham earlier this year (pictured) – has been a roaring success, and its latest visitor attraction sees them exploring the experiences of children and young people at different points in histor…