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The Crack Magazine

Art

Steam to Green: A North East Energy Revolution

Discovery Museum’s major new exhibition will tell the story of energy and the climate crisis in the North East by looking back to the industrial revolution, and forward to the pioneering contributions in green technologies happening now across the region. With exciting new displays, science and engineering objects from the museums’ historical collections, and new interactives, Steam to Green will demystify new technologies and showcase how the North East is leading the way once more.

Venue:
Discovery Museum, (Closed on all Bank Holidays) Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4JA
Date:
Jul 20th 2024 - Jul 20th 2026
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 11:00 - 16:00 , Mon-Fri 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Mani Kambo: Ax·is Mun·di

Mani Kambo’s solo show is a major new commission and will be the artist’s first institutional exhibition. A multidisciplinary artist, Mani Kambo is based in Newcastle upon Tyne and explores the inner spirit by drawing on her own personal totemic symbols. Influenced by her upbringing in a household filled with superstition, prayer, and religious ceremony, Kambo’s practice encompasses textiles, fabric dying and printmaking, and is rooted in her family history within the caste system.

Venue:
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, South Shore Road, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Date:
Dec 7th 2024 - Jun 1st 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

Knitted together: the Korean lives and legacies of Richard and Joan Rutt

Drawing on the objects and photographs of the main donors to the Korean collection at the Oriental Museum, Knitted Together details Richard and Joan Rutt’s 20 years living in South Korea in the immediate aftermath of the Korean War (1950 – 1953). Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of when Richard first arrived in Korea as a missionary in 1954, and 50 years since both Richard and Joan Rutt left Korea in 1974, the exhibition focuses on the influences of Korea on their lives, and the wide-ranging legacies of the couple.

Venue:
Oriental Museum, Elvet Hill, (off South Road), Durham, DH1 3TH
Date:
Sep 28th 2024 - May 4th 2025
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 12:00 - 17:00 , Tue-Wed and Fri 10:00 - 17:00 , Thu 10:00 - 19:00
Price:
Free

Brasília of the North

An exhibition exploring the ideas, personalities and broader social, cultural and political climate that underpinned the aspirations to transform Newcastle into a modernist city. During the 1960s, policymakers, planners and architects had the highest aspirations for Newcastle and the North East, imagining it being transformed into the ‘Brasília of the North’ – a shining north European equivalent to the futuristic new Brazilian capital city then emerging from the Cerrado savanna. This exhibition, which forms part of the Concrete Dreams project, explores the ideas, personalities and broader social, cultural and political climate that shaped these aspirations. It brings together a range of models, drawings, photographs, films, archival materials and other artefacts, relating to Tyneside’s 1960s and 1970s transformations.

Venue:
Farrell Centre, The Sir Terry Farrell Building, Eldon Place, Newcastle, NE1 7RD
Date:
Sep 19th 2024 - Jun 1st 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

20 Historical Women Who Changed The World

This bold, colourful, educational and historically-inspired exhibition features the works of Nigerian-born Doncaster artist, curator, and art advisor Chinwe Russell. It gives an insight into the lives of some incredible women from around the world, whose work in different sectors have had a massive impact on the contemporary world and continue to do so. The collection contains some well-known historical figures such as Marie Curie, Elizabeth I and Florence Nightingale, but most importantly, it also contains many lesser-known women whose works continue to shape our daily lives.

Venue:
Bishop Auckland Town Hall, Market Place, Bishop Auckland, DL14 7NP
Date:
Mar 1st 2025 - May 24th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Connections

Photography by EDAN artists and Northern School of Art photographic students.

Venue:
EDAN Gallery, The Art Block, 74 Church Street, Seaham, County Durham, SR7 7HF
Date:
Apr 29th 2025 - May 31st 2025
Opening Times:
Tue-Fri 11:00 - 15:00 , Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Tracy Bidwell - Shadow Light

There is light, pattern and texture even in the darkest places, and in this exhibition I seek to reveal these hopeful details in everyday objects and places.

Venue:
Wild & Free Gallery, 3A Ilfracombe Gardens, Whitley Bay, NE26 3ND
Date:
Apr 27th 2025 - May 17th 2025
Opening Times:
Wed-Sat 09:30 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Our County: The Children of Yesterday and Tomorrow

This exhibition explores the experiences of County Durham children at different points in history. From young people who left behind fascinating family records during the 1800s, to the glimpses we can see of children in Roman and Medieval periods, this show is a real eye-opener and shines a spotlight on a section of society who often don’t get to have their voices recorded in historic records. And not only will the show examine the different experiences of children at different times in history, it will also consider what issues and opportunities exist for young people in the County today.

Venue:
The Story, Mount Oswald, South Road, Durham, DH1 3TQ
Date:
Nov 2nd 2024 - May 5th 2025
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 10:00 - 17:00 , Thu 00:00 - 19:00 , Mon-Fri 00:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

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Pete Wilkinson Exhibition

Pete Wilkinson is a photographer and filmmaker from Hexham. Although often shooting portraiture, architecture and design, the main focus of Pete’s photographic work is the landscape. By returning to and exploring the local area and the Tyne Valley of his youth, Pete looks to examine the role of landscape as a visual language and shared vocabulary, and how it can be used to communicate, resonate, and stimulate.

Venue:
Queen's Hall Arts Centre, Beaumont Street, Hexham, NE46 3LS
Date:
Nov 11th 2024 - May 12th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Menagerie

A menagerie is a collection of wild animals kept in captivity for exhibition. The definition of wild is flexible for this selection of animals and creatures created by artists working in glass and ceramics. For example, Zoe Whiteside’s ceramic elephant and bears characterises the beauty of these marvellous creatures, while Emma Woffenden and John Moran introduce very different concepts into their depictions of animals in glass. Some of the earliest examples of art feature representations of animals and this exhibition brings us up to date.

Venue:
National Glass Centre, Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL
Date:
Dec 14th 2024 - May 31st 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Hetain Patel: Come As You Really Are

From makers and modifiers to crafters and collectors, Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, alongside award-winning artist and Spider-Man enthusiast Hetain Patel and Artangel present Come As You Really Are. Beginning as a nationwide call-out inviting members of the public to share the creative activity they dedicate their spare time to, Come As You Really Are will feature hundreds of unique hand-crafted objects and collections submitted from across the North East of England standing shoulder to shoulder with existing artworks and a new film commission by Patel.

Venue:
Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, c/o National Glass Centre, Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL
Date:
Mar 22nd 2025 - Jul 6th 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Sustainable Clay

This exhibition 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 are increasingly concerned about the sustainability of this material. The artists featured in this exhibition are taking an experimental approach to clay as a sculptural material while striving for sustainability within their creative processes.

Venue:
Hatton Gallery, The Quadrangle, University of Newcastle, 6 Kensington Terrace, Newcastle, NE1 7RU
Date:
Feb 1st 2025 - May 3rd 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

The Discovery of Birds

Drawing on Ushaw Library’s rich and varied natural history holdings, The Discovery of Birds illuminates the development of bird art and ornithology from the Renaissance to the nineteenth century. The exhibition takes in the Enlightenment, exploration and discovery and includes the work of many of the leading naturalists and bird artists of the period.

Venue:
Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Woodland Road, Durham, DH7 9RH
Date:
Mar 22nd 2025 - Jun 22nd 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
£10/under 18s £6/under 5s Free

Samantha Cary: Unravelling

In this new body of work Samantha Cary moves between painting, mono prints, etchings and woodcuts to build complex, layered and often darkly humorous images. Tackling subjects including jealousy, career isolation, dating and heartbreak through a process of meticulous making and a prism of cultural references ranging from music videos, television and films to fairytales and art history, her stories unwind and unravel.

Venue:
Granary Gallery, Dewar’s Lane, Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 1HJ
Date:
Mar 8th 2025 - May 18th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

MA Curating Art

Newcastle University’s new MA Curating Art presents three exhibitions of roughly one month each. First is a ‘one-work’ exhibition, looking again at a treasure from the Hatton’s permanent collection. The second exhibition is a re-examination of historical and modern artworks acquired by the Hatton across its first century of teaching fine art. The third exhibition combines contemporary art and historical artworks in unexpected ways.

Venue:
Hatton Gallery, The Quadrangle, University of Newcastle, 6 Kensington Terrace, Newcastle, NE1 7RU
Date:
Feb 14th 2025 - May 7th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

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Nerys Johnson: Disability and Practice

The exhibition explores Johnson’s lived experience of rheumatoid arthritis and the subsequent impact of disability on her artistic practice. The works on display have been chosen from a large body of Johnson's work, which was donated to the Laing by the Estate of Nerys Johnson in November 2022. The archive is comprised of thousands of works on paper, including sketchbooks, prints, and watercolours, dating from throughout her artistic career. Johnson is most well-known for the vibrant and often intense colours in her work combined with dramatic and abstract forms of flowers, often set against dark backdrops. Her work, however, is varied—she uses different media and includes a variety of subjects beyond flowers, notably including self-portraits, abstract nudes, and architectural motifs.

Venue:
Laing Art Gallery, New Bridge Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8AG
Date:
Dec 21st 2024 - Dec 6th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:30
Price:
Free

Koestler Arts: Almost Home

Koestler Arts and Baltic are partnering to present a showcase of artwork made in criminal justice settings in the North East of England. The showcase will present an array of fine art, design, writing and music from prisons, secure hospitals and probation services in the North East, all entered into the 2024 Koestler Awards for arts in the criminal justice system. The show features 70 works from the region, selected after a week The Koestler Arts team spent working with 6 women in the prison’s art class.

Venue:
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, South Shore Road, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Date:
Feb 19th 2025 - May 11th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

Ali Cherri: How I Am Monument

Ali Cherri works across film, sculpture, installation, drawing and performance. His practice is inspired both by archaeological artefacts and the natural world, exploring the temporal shifts between ancient civilisations and contemporary societies. Using artefacts as a starting point, he considers the links between archaeology, historical narrative and heritage, reflecting on the processes of excavation and the relocation and preservation of cultural objects in museums. His work addresses colonial histories, cultural loss, nationhood and different geographies of violence in his native Lebanon but also in the broader region, interrogating the ways in which political violence is witnessed, and disseminates into people’s bodies, and how it scars the physical and cultural landscape.

Venue:
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, South Shore Road, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Date:
Apr 12th 2025 - Oct 12th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

Durham University Science 100 Exhibition

This exhibition explores the history of science education and research at Durham, featuring remarkable artefacts and stories from their museum collections. Discover pioneering female archaeologists, the science of plant conservation, and the ongoing role Durham’s museums play in modern scientific advancements. Whether through the study of Egyptian mummies or conservation work at Durham Castle, each object tells a story of how science has evolved.

Venue:
Outdoor Art Gallery, Outside the Bill Bryson Library, Stockton Rd, Durham, DH1 3LY
Date:
Jan 1st 2025 - May 4th 2025
Opening Times:
1st Jan - 4th May 2025 TBC
Price:
Free

Laura and Rachel Lancaster

A survey painting exhibition of works by Laura Lancaster and Rachel Lancaster. Identical twins and prolific painters, the Lancasters have carved out distinct painting styles and have exhibited nationally and internationally. This exhibition at Baltic will be the first institutional exhibition showing the sisters’ paintings side by side, and the exhibition location, in North East of England, where they were born and still live and work in their shared studio in Ouseburn, Newcastle.

Venue:
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, South Shore Road, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Date:
Apr 12th 2025 - Oct 12th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

'The Secret Lives of Bottle of Notes: Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen'

Discover the story behind Bottle of Notes (1993), Middlesbrough’s iconic public sculpture and the only UK work by celebrated artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Over its 30-year life this nine-metre-tall steel bottle has been adopted as a symbol for the Tees Valley. The Secret Lives of Bottle of Notes, delves into how public art shapes identity and place. Through historical and contemporary artworks, archival materials, and creative contributions from Tees Valley communities, the exhibition traces the making of this significant sculpture, its meaning to the region, and its lasting impact on Middlesbrough’s cultural landscape.

Venue:
Mima, Centre Square, Middlesbrough, TS1 2AZ
Date:
Mar 14th 2025 - Oct 5th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun 12:00 - 16:00 , Tue-Sat 10:00 - 16:30
Price:
Free

Glass Zoo

The Menagerie theme continues along the Balcony Gallery showing animals and creatures selected from National Glass Centre’s permanent collection. Please be aware that it may not be possible to contain all wildlife within the display cases.

Venue:
National Glass Centre, Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL
Date:
Jan 18th 2025 - Jun 1st 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Contemporary Print: Ade Adesina and Hugh Hamshaw Thomas

In the summer of 2024, Ade Adesina and Hugh Hamshaw Thomas took up a residency at Ushaw. The exhibition includes new work inspired by Ushaw and its collections. In collaboration with Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair.

Venue:
Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Woodland Road, Durham, DH7 9RH
Date:
Apr 11th 2025 - Jun 22nd 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
£10/under 18s £6/under 5s Free

Consett in Focus

New work by members of Consett in Focus, a flourishing local photography group. Many of the images are for sale.

Venue:
Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Woodland Road, Durham, DH7 9RH
Date:
Apr 5th 2025 - May 26th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
£10/under 18s £6/under 5s Free

Studio 70 Artists

A selling exhibition of new work by County Durham artists Alison Minney, Denise Smithson and Graham Parker. The three creatives share a studio space at Ushaw.

Venue:
Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Woodland Road, Durham, DH7 9RH
Date:
Mar 29th 2025 - Jun 15th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
£10/under 18s £6/under 5s Free

The Northumberland Open Exhibition 2025

Housed in Woodhorn Museum’s stunning Workshop Galleries, the annual Northumberland Open is the largest exhibition of its type in Northumberland. The exhibition attracts submissions from artists from across Northumberland and beyond. Works are selected for exhibition by a professional panel of artists and curators who also select an Overall Winner and Highly Commended artworks to be awarded prizes. During the exhibition run, thousands of visitors vote for the ‘People’s Choice Award’ which is announced at the end of the exhibition.

Venue:
Woodhorn Museum , Queen Elizabeth 2nd Country Park, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 9YF
Date:
Feb 22nd 2025 - Jun 1st 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
£9.50/£8.50/under 18s Free

SHOAL

An exhibition featuring 12 photographs by artist Mandy Barker. The series reveals evidence of marine plastic debris collected during the Japanese Tsunami Debris Expedition in June 2012. The work focuses on plastics collected and photographed from trawls and net samples at various points between Japan and Hawaii, and also from the tsunami affected shoreline in Fukushima Prefecture. Each image includes a different trawl sample, in some cases represented as tiny plankton, and captioned with the grid reference of where each sample was collected.

Venue:
Great North Museum: Hancock, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4PT
Date:
Feb 21st 2025 - Nov 2nd 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Fri 10:00 - 17:00 , Sun 11:00 - 16:00 , Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Amber: Documenting Place

A display of photographs and films from the Amber Film & Photography Collective. Founded in 1968, the Amber Film & Photography Collective is renowned for their work documenting the full spectrum of experience in the North East’s working class and industrial communities. With images from the AmberSide Collection, and select films from Amber, Documenting Place looks at how locations can be captured through a focus on the people and communities who live there.

Venue:
Farrell Centre, The Sir Terry Farrell Building, Eldon Place, Newcastle, NE1 7RD
Date:
Feb 20th 2025 - Jun 1st 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

From Josephine Bowes: Trendsetters and Trailblazers

A landmark exhibition honouring the pioneering spirit and 200th anniversary of museum co-founder, Joséphine Bowes. This visually stunning exhibition showcases three centuries of eclectic art and creativity including a curated selection of works from The Bowes Museum’s collection and major loans from across the UK, Europe and United States. Expect to see an extraordinary mix of paintings, sculptures, textiles and ceramics from world-renowned artists including Pablo Picasso and Sir Grayson Perry CBE, rising contemporaries such as Joy Labinjo and Lucy Waters, and a special commission by Phoebe Cummings. The exhibition offers a glimpse into how Joséphine’s remarkable understanding of artistic trends and cross-genre approach to collecting might have shaped the collection today.

Venue:
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8NP
Date:
Feb 8th 2025 - Jun 29th 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
£19.50/under 18s Free

Josephine: A Woman of Taste and Fashion

Discover the timeless elegance, craftsmanship and innovation of Joséphine Bowes’ textile collection in this captivating display. From opulent historical textiles to the cutting-edge creations of French haute couture, highlights include iconic designs from Yves Saint Laurent, Jeanne Paquin and Elsa Schiaparelli, as well as intricate embroideries and breathtaking lacework. Examples of Joséphine’s style influences from the mid-18th century will also be on show, alongside rare surviving pieces from her personal wardrobe and material from the archives.

Venue:
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8NP
Date:
Mar 22nd 2025 - Mar 1st 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
£19.50/under 18s Free

The Fight for Byker and Other Stories

An installation exploring the 1960s work of the Byker Study Group in shaping the development of the Byker Estate. The Byker Estate (constructed 1969–83) is internationally recognised for its pioneering approach to community participation. Emphasising local involvement, the project departed from top-down redevelopment trends, while, architecturally, it broke from modernist orthodoxy with innovative and socially inclusive designs that have had a global influence on housing design and the community architecture movement. Ralph Erskine, the lead architect, gained fame for the redevelopment, and is widely seen as the instigator of this pioneering approach. However, the initial impetus came from the largely unrecognised efforts of the Byker Study Group in the 1960s. Having successfully lobbied for the right of residents to remain in Byker, they would play a key role in shaping its subsequent transformation. This installation explores this ‘pre-redevelopment’ period in Byker’s history via photographs, artefacts and oral histories from contemporary witnesses. Visitors are invited to contribute to the installation by bringing old photographs, negatives or slides that can be scanned and added to a photo memory wall.

Venue:
Farrell Centre, The Sir Terry Farrell Building, Eldon Place, Newcastle, NE1 7RD
Date:
Feb 6th 2025 - Jun 1st 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

The Fans Museum Collection

Come along to the ground floor pod to see highlights from the collection of women’s football memorabilia on loan from The Fans Museum in Sunderland, a unique museum with a huge collection of football memorabilia for fans from all around the world. From match worn shirts to the boardroom table from Roker Park, all can be found at the Fans Museum.

Venue:
The Word, The National Centre for the Written Word, 45 Market Place, South Shields, NE33 1JF
Date:
Mar 21st 2025 - May 6th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Thu 09:00 - 19:00 , Fri 09:00 - 17:00 , Sat-Sun 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Apollo Remastered

Apollo Remastered is an exhibition showcasing images from Andy Saunders’ extraordinary bestselling book of the same name. Saunders invites viewers to explore the Moon landings in spectacular high definition for the very first time. By applying pain-staking care and cutting-edge enhancement techniques, he has created the highest quality Apollo photographs ever produced.

Venue:
Queen's Hall Arts Centre, Beaumont Street, Hexham, NE46 3LS
Date:
Mar 14th 2025 - May 30th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Traces – An Interface Arts Exhibition

Local artists from the North East based group, Interface Arts, have been inspired to creatively interpret the theme of Traces, choosing many surprising subjects as their source of inspiration. Members have produced an eclectic mix of artwork in a range of mediums such as fused glass, painting, print and book making, various textile techniques and more. An imaginative and thought-provoking exhibition. New members are warmly welcome!

Venue:
Arts Centre Washington, Biddick Lane, Fatfield, Washington, NE38 8AB
Date:
Mar 28th 2025 - May 3rd 2025
Opening Times:
Fri-Sat 09:00 - 16:00 , Wed 09:00 - 17:00 , Thu 09:00 - 21:00 , Tue 13:00 - 21:00
Price:
Free

The Caravan Gallery: Sunderland Pride of Place Project - Ten Years On

In March 2015, The Caravan Gallery brought their weird and wonderful photographs celebrating everyday life in Britain to Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art. Over a hundred colour photographs full of humour, joy and social commentary were exhibited in the exhibition Extra(ordinary) Photographs of Britain. The exhibition was accompanied by a Pride of Place Project, in an empty shop unit on Fawcett Street, devised for Sunderland by photographers Jan Williams and Chris Teasdale of The Caravan Gallery. Ten years on they're revisiting this truly unique project with a new exhibition comprised of the material generated in Sunderland in 2015. The exhibition poses the questions – How has Sunderland changed in this time? What has Sunderland gained and lost? What makes you proud about Sunderland?

Venue:
Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, c/o National Glass Centre, Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL
Date:
Mar 22nd 2025 - May 11th 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Winifred Nicholson: Cumbrian Rag Rugs

Although Winifred Nicholson (1893-1981) is best known for her paintings and her position as a highly respected figure in 20th century British art, this is the first exhibition dedicated to her relationship with the tradition of rag rug making. Appearing alongside the rugs, the exhibition will feature paintings, sketches and archival material giving a sense of Winifred’s creative life and career. There will be a making space within the exhibition where visitors can try their hand at rag rug making themselves, and a programme of events and activities to be announced.

Venue:
Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle Street, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 8TP
Date:
Apr 5th 2025 - Jun 15th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Adult admission (valid for 12 months) £15/Under 18s Free

Shakespeare Recovered: Durham's First Folio

In December 1998, the Durham First Folio, a copy of William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies, was stolen along with six other items while on display in Cosin’s Library. For a decade, there was no news of the missing books and Durham University had to accept that the First Folio was lost. But the story didn’t end there. In 2008, a badly damaged book was brought to the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C. The book was presented to experts as a newly discovered copy of the First Folio that needed authentication for sale. Staff at the Folger quickly recognised the possibility that this book was in fact Durham’s missing copy and after verification it was returned to its rightful home on Palace Green. This exhibition tells the story of what happened next, exploring the work of our conservation team to make the First Folio accessible again. Visit to see a rare and important cultural artefact and experience a book as you’ve never seen one before.

Venue:
Palace Green Library, Palace Green, Durham, DH1 3RN
Date:
Apr 4th 2025 - Nov 2nd 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Railway Firsts

An exhibition highlighting trains, objects and innovations, both famous and unexpected, that have shaped the railways. The exhibition will spotlight the pivotal innovations and unexpected ‘firsts’ that shaped the railways and our history, presented through a series of eye-catching pop-up displays, as visitors journey through the museum. The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of family activities over the half term holidays on the theme of problem-solving.

Venue:
Locomotion, (previously Shildon Locomotion Museum), Dale Road Industrial Estate, Dale Road, Shildon, County Durham, DL4 2RE
Date:
Feb 15th 2025 - Dec 31st 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Fiona Sturrock

Fiona’s paintings demonstrate her love of colour; the practice of mixing colour, and laying down patterns of light, shade and texture to produce bold representations of her subjects. Expect a vibrant collection of still life and wildlife paintings.

Venue:
The Biscuit Factory, 16 Stoddard Street, Newcastle, NE2 1AN
Date:
Mar 7th 2025 - May 11th 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Streets Above: Photographs of the roads and buildings that covered Roman Wallsend 

Housing built for ship-workers in the late 19th century once covered the whole site of the Roman fort and the surrounding areas. Most of these streets were demolished in the 1970s and 1980s, and the area was transformed. These photographs are records of those streets, and how this area once looked very different.

Venue:
Segedunum Roman Fort, 2 Buddle Street, Wallsend, NE28 6HR
Date:
Apr 1st 2025 - Nov 1st 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 15:00 , Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Adults: £3.98 | £2.98 Concessions ( includes £1 voluntary donation), NE28 residents Free

Collecting the Past 

The aim of many of the local museums set up in the 19th century was to have ‘the world under one roof’, so they collected a wide range of objects from around the world, including archaeological pieces. This exhibition looks at some of these objects and explores what we know – or don’t know – about them now. 

Venue:
Segedunum Roman Fort, 2 Buddle Street, Wallsend, NE28 6HR
Date:
Apr 1st 2025 - Nov 1st 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 15:00 , Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Adults: £3.98 | £2.98 Concessions ( includes £1 voluntary donation), NE28 residents Free

Through the Lens and Lead

An exhibition of the collaborative project Lens & Lead: A collection of Polaroid photographs and pencil illustration books. Founded by photographer Tom Robinson. Through these books, Tom and his partner photographers have collated an eclectic and intimate archive of polaroid portraits. Each being accompanied by a hand drawn self portrait by the person photographed, composed there on the spot while the photo develops in the photographers hand. The drawings are an insight into the individual’s unique expression of self perception.

Venue:
Newcastle Arts Centre, 67 Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SG
Date:
Mar 22nd 2025 - May 3rd 2025
Opening Times:
Sat 00:00 - 17:00 , Mon-Sat 09:30 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Home and Howay – Letters and Post in the 18th-Century North East

Before emails and phones, letters were one of the only ways to stay in touch over long distances. Here at Newcastle Cathedral, we remember those who travelled the world, as seen in memorials around us. But how did people stay connected? This exhibition explores the rise of the postal system in the 18th century, a time when letter writing flourished. For Newcastle and the North East, letters carried voices across the sea, coal mines and trade routes. They reveal personal stories, business dealings and everyday life.

Venue:
Newcastle Cathedral, St. Nicholas Sq, Newcastle, NE1 1DF
Date:
Apr 7th 2025 - May 23rd 2025
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 08:00 - 17:00 , Mon-Fri 08:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

Andy Welland Artist Pop-Up Shop

This forthcoming pop-up shop brings artist Andy Welland’s signature bold celebration of colour, shape and form to Baltic with a range of exclusive products. Centred around the idea of creation through play - where play itself becomes a form of luxury and artistic language, these works invite viewers to explore this universal language as an entry point into Welland’s work. Through giant Plasticine reliefs, lipstick-thick oil finger-paintings, and energetic prints, his vibrant compositions reflect a joyful spontaneity that embraces both individuality and togetherness.

Venue:
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, South Shore Road, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Date:
Apr 12th 2025 - Sep 28th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

Anne Vibeke Mou: Revolutions Per Minute

Anne Vibeke Mou works with the ingredients of glass and considers how glass relates to people and place. This exhibition presents a new body of work developed in response to research visits to archaeological sites in Israel and Palestine, and through time spent with the Inuvialuit community in the Northwest Territories of Canada.

Venue:
National Glass Centre, Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL
Date:
Mar 20th 2025 - Jun 14th 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Sheila Fell: Cumberland on Canvas

The first major retrospective of Fell’s work in over thirty years. The exhibition brings together 100 works from private and public collections across the country from the likes of Tate, National Portrait Gallery, Royal Academy and Abbot Hall. The exhibition will explore Cumberland as Fell’s source of artistic inspiration, her childhood in Aspatria, her artistic development at Carlisle School of Art followed by St. Martin’s School of Art, Fell’s recognition as an important female artist, her relationships and her legacy.

Venue:
Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Mowbray Gardens, Burdon Road, Sunderland, SR1 1PP
Date:
Apr 10th 2025 - Jun 28th 2025
Opening Times:
Sat 10:00 - 16:00 , Mon-Fri 09:30 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Charting the Course: Hartlepool’s Maritime Heritage

Discover the fascinating history of Hartlepool’s maritime heritage through an extraordinary collection of artworks, objects, and stories. This exhibition brings together ship portraits from the Under Steam Collection, featuring over a century of maritime history, alongside treasures from Hartlepool’s own collection.

Venue:
Hartlepool Art Gallery, The Tourist Information Centre, Church Square, Hartlepool, TS24 7EQ
Date:
Apr 12th 2025 - Jun 14th 2025
Opening Times:
Tue-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Sanctuary!

In medieval times, Durham Cathedral was known as a place of sanctuary, where criminals could find temporary refuge from the law. Discover the stories of people who fled to Durham Cathedral and find out about the famous Sanctuary Ring on the North door - how it became one of the key symbols of the Cathedral, and how it inspires artists today. See prints from 18th century, letters from royalty, commemorative items, registers of sanctuary seekers, manuscripts and the moulds used to create the replica Sanctuary Ring.

Venue:
Durham Cathedral, Chapter Office, Palace Green, Durham, DH1 3EH
Date:
Apr 24th 2025 - Jun 29th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun 12:00 - 16:00 , Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Adult £7.50/under 18s Free

Spellbound

A magical adventure awaits, delve into the enchanting history of magic in the region. Discover its early roots to modern-day marvels and immerse yourself in the world of stage magic and legendary magicians. Let your little ones explore our interactive space, where they can learn magic tricks and unleash their inner magician!

Venue:
Dorman Museum, Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, TS5 6LA
Date:
Dec 1st 2024 - Jun 1st 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Tue-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Alnwick Through the Lens

A collaboration between Alnwick Civic Society, Alnwick Camera Club and Bailiffgate. This exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Civic Society in 2024. The aim was to capture the town as it is today for future generations to look back on including its historical buildings, many new developments, and repurposing of existing buildings. Bailiffgate has searched its archives and added to the exhibition by displaying photographs of the town landscape from different periods of history. Information boards and location maps will give visitors the chance to track changes to the town and its surroundings. The development of photographic equipment will be shown through displays from the museum's collection.

Venue:
Bailiffgate Museum, 14 Bailiffgate, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1LX
Date:
Apr 1st 2025 - May 11th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Tue-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
£6/£5/ages 5-16 £1/under 5s Free

20:20 Print Exchange

Northern Print are exhibiting and selling original prints from the 20:20 print exchange, a huge annual print exchange project organised by Hotbed Press in Salford, Manchester. Every year, printmaking studios as well as print departments in universities across the UK and overseas are invited to participate in this ambitious project; each studio has to enter a number of artists who each have to print an edition (or set) of 25 prints all measuring 20 x 20cm. Every artist receives a selection of randomly selected prints from the project to keep and each studio gets a selection to sell. Prints are just £10 each with all proceeds going to support Northern Print.

Venue:
Northern Print, Stepney Bank, Newcastle, NE1 2NP
Date:
Mar 8th 2025 - May 3rd 2025
Opening Times:
Wed-Sat 12:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Railway Pioneers

In celebration of start of the S&DR200 bicentennial anniversary festival, three iconic locomotives will be on show in the historic Grade II listed Carriage Works right here at Hopetown Darlington. The locomotives are showcasing the advancements of rail technology in the early 19th century as well as the engineering innovation which led to the opening of the S&DR. These early locomotives were critical to future rail success, and Railway Pioneers is a unique opportunity to see them all in one place. The original preserved Locomotion No.1 will be returning to Darlington as one of these engines. This iconic engine, designed and driven by George Stephenson on the historical first journey in 1825, is an integral part of Darlington’s history, included both on the town’s coat of arms and the football team's crest. Joining Locomotion No.1 are two other classic locomotives - the Pen-y-Darren, designed by Richard Trevithick in 1804, and Steam Elephant, designed by John Buddle and William Chapman in 1815.

Venue:
Hopetown, McNay Street, Darlington, DL3 6SW
Date:
Apr 4th 2025 - Jun 22nd 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Tue-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Ted Holloway: A Bevin Boy Remembered

Eighty years ago, during the Second World War, artist Ted Holloway was conscripted to work in the coal mines as a Bevin Boy. This exhibition brings together a selection of his paintings and drawings spanning the course of his life and journey from miner to art teacher and professional artist, and reveals the enduring influence of mining on his work as an artist.

Venue:
Mining Art Gallery, Bishop Auckland, County Durham
Date:
Oct 19th 2024 - Jun 8th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:30 - 16:00
Price:
Included with Bishop's Key which gives 12 months admission to the Auckland Project for £30/£13.50 child/family from £45

More-Than-Human Healthcare

A new exhibition by artist Helen Knowles, More-Than-Human Healthcare facilitates a multitude of voices – non-human, more-than-human and human. It pays serious attention to an ephemeral constellation of entities encountered through the contemporary tools of psychedelic medicine, the development of the AI doctor and plant intelligences. Employing a participatory approach, Knowles has produced a trilogy of artworks which includes two artist films, Indexed Beings and Caring Code, and an immersive installation called Trust the Medicine, shown together for the first time. Centred on the agency of these caring entities and how this agency is culturally and cosmologically underscored, the exhibition investigates a broad spectrum of differing practices, locations and relationships.

Venue:
Gallery North, Squires Building, University of Northumbria, Sandyford Road, Newcastle, NE1 8ST
Date:
Apr 2nd 2025 - May 16th 2025
Opening Times:
Sat 10:00 - 14:00 , Mon-Fri 12:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free