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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

Milly Thompson: My Body Temperature is Feeling Good

A solo exhibition of work by the late Milly Thompson, a prolific painter, sculptor, video artist and writer. My Body Temperature is Feeling Good spotlights a particular blend of irony and sincerity that characterises the artist’s latter-day work, exploring romantic novels and sun-drenched summer holidays as spaces for escapism and sensual self-reinvention.

Venue:
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, South Shore Road, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Date:
Mar 28th 2026 - Aug 30th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

Foundation Press: Starting Lines

Baltic is pleased to present Starting Lines, the first major solo exhibition, an interactive installation exploring creativity collaboration and community, by North-East-based artists and designers Foundation Press. The exhibition will feature material from the Foundation Press archive, including posters, banners, wallpapers and collaborative publications that traces their contribution and impact across design, print, and community practice over the last 10 years.

Venue:
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, South Shore Road, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Date:
Mar 28th 2026 - Aug 30th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

All Aboard!

Step inside and explore Preston Park Museum's new, interactive exhibition which has been specially created for children. Little designers, engineers and drivers will be able to get hands-on with wheels to turn, coal to shovel and pistons to pump in the giant replica train and themed play zones. Families will be able to take part in a journey of discovery through play to understand the important story of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

Venue:
Preston Park Museum, Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 3RH
Date:
Sep 13th 2025 - Sep 13th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Tue-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
£12/£8/under 3s Free

150 Years of Wedding Dresses

This display showcases the exquisite craftsmanship and evolving trends that have defined one of the most memorable days in countless lives. Experience a celebration of bridal fashion from the last 150 years.

Venue:
Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Woodland Road, Durham, DH7 9RH
Date:
Mar 28th 2026 - Aug 31st 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
£14/under 18s £8/under 5s Free

Newcastle Quayside at 40

2026 marks forty years since the inception of the plan to regenerate Newcastle’s Quayside which had fallen into decay and disrepair. This exhibition explores the ideas and aspirations that shaped the regeneration plan, the individuals and organisations who drove them forward, and the circumstances that made the project such a success.

Venue:
Farrell Centre, The Sir Terry Farrell Building, Eldon Place, Newcastle, NE1 7RD
Date:
Feb 26th 2026 - Dec 18th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Housing Standardisation

What does a typical home in England look like? How does it compare to housing in other countries? How are these homes designed? And what is it like to live in them? This exhibition explores these questions through in-depth international and local case-studies of a range of homes. Through photographs, models and plans, it considers how housing design is shaped by policy regulations, local cultures and expectations and lived experiences of residents.

Venue:
Farrell Centre, The Sir Terry Farrell Building, Eldon Place, Newcastle, NE1 7RD
Date:
Feb 26th 2026 - Dec 18th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Sublime Landscapes

This exhibition features landscape watercolours and prints from the Laing Art Gallery’s collection responding to the potential for landscape art to be awe-inspiring. Visitors will encounter dramatic waterfalls, epic ruins, stormy seas, and subterranean worlds through the eyes of artists working between the eighteenth century – when the concept of the ‘sublime’ first gained prominence within landscape art - and the present day. The artists on display include John Robert Cozens, Mary Elizabeth Bennett, Francis Towne, David Cox, John Martin, Charles Napier Hemy, Edna Clarke Hall, Graham Sutherland, and Dennis Creffield.

Venue:
Laing Art Gallery, New Bridge Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8AG
Date:
Dec 20th 2025 - Dec 5th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:30
Price:
Free

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Vivienne Westwood: Rebel – Storyteller – Visionary

Charting Westwood’s journey following her punk rebellion with Malcolm McLaren to her reinvention of historical dress and couture and featuring rarely seen pieces from private collections, this exhibition offers an unprecedented glimpse into Westwood’s artistry. Calico toiles, deconstructed garments and ensembles are displayed chronologically alongside historic objects from the museum’s collection, fusing rebellion with tradition.

Venue:
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8NP
Date:
Mar 28th 2026 - Sep 6th 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
£19.50/under 18s Free

Nat Hardy: ISM - Art with Heart

Nat won the 2024 Spotlight: Washington Open Exhibition. She uses a range of mediums – needle felting, textiles, watercolour, acrylics and soft pastels – to depict and capture the complexities of living with ISM’s and the vibrant joy she experiences working a 12 Step program, one day at a time.

Venue:
Arts Centre Washington, Biddick Lane, Fatfield, Washington, NE38 8AB
Date:
May 8th 2026 - Jun 6th 2026
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

Rachael Woodman: Journeys in Glass

This special exhibition in the Faith Museum showcases the work of Rachael Woodman, who has been a glassmaker for over 40 years. Drawing upon a lifetime of experience, Rachael Woodman creates technically ambitious sculptures that are deeply rooted in her Christian faith. In this exhibition, the artist shares personal reflections on her spiritual journey. The works on display are both a celebration of the beauty and versatility of glass, and a meditation on the joyful act of worship.

Venue:
Faith Museum, Auckland Palace, Market Place, Bishop Auckland, DL14 7NR
Date:
Feb 18th 2026 - Jul 1st 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:30 - 16:00
Price:
Free with Auckland Palace/Faith Museum admission

Beyond Coal

Sponsored by and in conjunction with Durham University Energy Institute.

Venue:
EDAN Gallery, The Art Block, 74 Church Street, Seaham, County Durham, SR7 7HF
Date:
Apr 28th 2026 - Jun 6th 2026
Opening Times:
Tue-Fri 11:00 - 15:00 , Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Joan Miró: Painting and Poetry

This exhibition brings together lithographic prints created to illustrate the writings of the celebrated French surrealist poet Robert Desnos. The prints are an excellent example of the richness and variety of Miró’s print production as well as his famous experimentation with vivid colours and abstract shapes.

Venue:
Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Woodland Road, Durham, DH7 9RH
Date:
Apr 18th 2026 - Jun 14th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
Adults £14 / Children £8 / under 5s free / annual memberships available

The Graduates

After 28 wonderfully creative years, National Glass Centre takes its final bow on Friday 31 July 2026. Their closing exhibition is The Graduates, which will be a celebration of the incredible achievements and successes of the University of Sunderland’s Glass and Ceramics Department over the past three decades. The Graduates features the work of 51 artists; made up of graduates and staff members of University of Sunderland’s Glass and Ceramics Department, including seven invited artists alongside 44 selected artists.

Venue:
National Glass Centre, Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL
Date:
Jan 31st 2026 - Jul 31st 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Tom McGuinness: Out of the Darkness

Tom McGuinness found a rich seam of artistic inspiration in the coal mines of County Durham, painting the industry and its people from his own experiences. The studious Tom saw more in the scene than most people would and, with an artist’s eye, a comprehensive knowledge and a clarity of thought, interpreted this for us all to comprehend. His visceral depictions of life underground serve as a powerful, emotive reminder of the lives lived by many in the mining communities of the North East.

Venue:
Mining Art Gallery, Bishop Auckland, County Durham
Date:
Feb 18th 2026 - Dec 24th 2026
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

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Time Well Spent An Exhibition by Alison Diamond

Exhibition of artist and printmaker Alison Diamond whose work explores various printing techniques such as monoprint, linocut, screen printing, wood engraving and etching. Alison loves to explore her passion for drawing, perspective, colour and pattern through the diversity of these print mediums and enjoys the challenges and the surprises each print form can provide along the way.

Venue:
Gateshead Central Library, Prince Consort Road, Gateshead, NE8 4LN
Date:
Apr 25th 2026 - Jun 27th 2026
Opening Times:
Sat 09:00 - 13:00 , Tue-Wed and Fri 09:00 - 17:00 , Mon and Thu 09:00 - 19:00
Price:
Free

Jewish Industrialists on the Team Valley

Jewish Industrialists on the Team Valley: the formative years of a trading estate 1936-1945 tells the little-known story of the contribution and impact that Jewish light industries had on the development of the Team Valley Trading Estate in Gateshead – the first government-financed trading estate in the country and opened in 1936.

Venue:
Discovery Museum, (Closed on all Bank Holidays) Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4JA
Date:
Feb 7th 2026 - Jan 31st 2027
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 11:00 - 16:00 , Mon-Fri 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Apocalypse Remix

A new community exhibition co-created by artist Edek Thompson & the communities of Redcar & Cleveland. Working with local artists and community groups Apocalypse Remix is a showcase of local talent, a visual manifesto for the future, and a demonstration of the positive impact of creativity on wellbeing.

Venue:
The Redcar Palace, Palace 28, 28-29 Esplanade, Redcar, TS10 3AE
Date:
Mar 27th 2026 - Jun 14th 2026
Opening Times:
Tue-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Becoming La Voix

A spectacular new exhibition celebrating the extraordinary career of internationally acclaimed performer La Voix, one of Stockton-on-Tees' most successful and beloved entertainers. The exhibition shines a spotlight on the singer, performer and all-round showstopper whose unmistakable style, sharp wit and powerhouse vocals have captivated audiences across the UK and around the world. Visitors are invited to step behind the curtain and discover a treasure trove of iconic costumes, glittering accessories, photographs and personal memorabilia, all generously loaned by La Voix herself.

Venue:
Preston Park Museum, Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 3RH
Date:
Feb 20th 2026 - Jun 28th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Tue-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
£12/£8/under 3s Free

Joan Eardley: The Sea at Catterline

An exhibition exploring the dramatic seascapes created by one of the most distinctive British artists of the twentieth century. Joan Eardley (1921–1963) is widely recognised for her portraits of street children in Glasgow, but alongside these works she developed an extraordinary body of landscape painting inspired by the fishing village of Catterline on Scotland’s north-east coast.

Venue:
Granary Gallery, Dewar’s Lane, Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 1HJ
Date:
Jun 6th 2026 - Oct 11th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Wet Goddess: Recollections Of A Dolphin Lover

A solo exhibition from Newcastle-based artist Kiik Amor. The exhibition is framed within a performance architecture and featuring a film work, explores transformation, interspecies longing, and the desire to become other.

Venue:
Slugtown, 44 Wretham Place, Shieldfield, Newcastle, NE2 1XU
Date:
May 23rd 2026 - Jun 27th 2026
Opening Times:
Thu-Sat 11:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Re: New Towns

A display by Masters students exploring a speculative New Town in the North East. Using Washington, Sunderland as a case study, the exhibition reflects on the legacy of post-war New Towns as places shaped not only by planning, but by the everyday lives of the people who inhabit them. It invites visitors to reconsider the New Town not as a blank slate, but as a living system embedded within existing communities, infrastructures, and landscapes.

Venue:
Farrell Centre, The Sir Terry Farrell Building, Eldon Place, Newcastle, NE1 7RD
Date:
Apr 16th 2026 - Aug 28th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

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SIDE: Planned Space Lived Place

A display of work from the AmberSide Collection exploring northern New Towns and planned communities. Planned Space Lived Place brings together photographs and artworks exploring New Towns and planned communities in the North East, with a focus on Peterlee, Washington and Killingworth. Drawing on the AmberSide Collection alongside work by InSide members, it looks at how these places have been imagined, built, used and remembered.

Venue:
Farrell Centre, The Sir Terry Farrell Building, Eldon Place, Newcastle, NE1 7RD
Date:
Apr 16th 2026 - Aug 28th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Graham Williamson: Song of the Suburbs

A film by Graham Williamson telling the surprising and intriguing story of a hidden Britain, in partnership with the BFI. As part of the BFI’s National Archive Our Screen Heritage programme, Teesside based film-maker Graham Williamson has compiled nearly a century of archive footage from movies, television, amateur film and the internet to tell the story of the British suburbs. Are they conformist or eccentric? Conservative or radical? Normal or surreal? Song of the Suburbs reveals they’re all these things, and more.

Venue:
Farrell Centre, The Sir Terry Farrell Building, Eldon Place, Newcastle, NE1 7RD
Date:
Mar 5th 2026 - Jun 26th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Archaeology ‘Open Lab’

Archaeologists uncovering the hidden history of Auckland Palace are inviting the public behind the scenes as historic finds from eight years of excavations are analysed in a new ‘open laboratory’ in Bishop Auckland town centre. After the trowels are put down, the archaeological work continues in the post-excavation’ phase. This work involves looking in detail at all the objects dug up. Experts weigh, count, catalogue and describe everything they have found so that we can understand even more about how the Bishops’ Palace was used. Normally this work happens in laboratories behind closed doors, but now this workis being done in public view here in the ‘open lab’.

Venue:
The Hearth, (formerly Mrs M's), 1 Market Place, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 7NJ
Date:
Jan 16th 2026 - Dec 31st 2026
Opening Times:
16th Jan - 31st Dec 2026 TBC
Price:
Free

Treasure: Hidden, Lost, Found

Step into the fascinating world of treasure and see some amazing archaeological finds from across the North of England. Roman coins, Viking Age silver, and a buried stash of Tudor coins will all feature in this glittering new exhibition. Explore what makes something valuable - culturally, historically, and personally. Who owns the past? What stories do these objects tell? With thought-provoking displays and interactives, there’s something to spark curiosity in visitors of all ages. Featuring extraordinary finds from the British Museum, National Museum of Scotland, Vindolanda, and the Great North Museum: Hancock, this is your chance to see why buried history matters.

Venue:
Great North Museum: Hancock, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4PT
Date:
Mar 28th 2026 - Sep 20th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Fri 10:00 - 17:00 , Sun 11:00 - 16:00 , Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Picture This: Someone Like Me

An artwork exhibition that creatively showcases postgraduate research happening at Newcastle University. The exhibition features illustrated artworks and personal reflections that explore the many different pathways into research and challenge common ideas about who researchers are and where they come from. Alongside the artworks, the exhibition will come alive through interactive events, family-friendly activities, and opportunities to meet the researchers themselves. Visitors are invited to explore research through creativity and conversation, discover the people behind the work, and reflect on how diverse experiences and perspectives shape the way knowledge is created.

Venue:
Great North Museum: Hancock, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4PT
Date:
Mar 13th 2026 - Jan 17th 2027
Opening Times:
Mon-Fri 10:00 - 17:00 , Sun 11:00 - 16:00 , Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Our Freedom: Then and Now

A vibrant photography exhibition that brings together images from 60 locally-led projects, marking 80 years since the end of the Second World War. A nationwide portrait of people, place and belonging, this exhibition reveals communities’ thoughtful and varied take on freedom across the UK.

Venue:
Arc, Dovecot Street, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LL
Date:
May 13th 2026 - Jun 11th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon 12:00 - 16:00 , Wed-Sat 10:00 - 20:00 , Tue 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Meryl Mathieson: Solo Exhibition

New work by artist and Ushaw studio holder Meryl Mathieson.

Venue:
Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Woodland Road, Durham, DH7 9RH
Date:
May 2nd 2026 - Jun 21st 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
Adults £14 / Children £8 / under 5s free / annual memberships available

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Colourwheel

A selling exhibition of new work by members of Colourwheel, an art group based at Ushaw.

Venue:
Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Woodland Road, Durham, DH7 9RH
Date:
May 30th 2026 - Jun 12th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
Adults £14 / Children £8 / under 5s free / annual memberships available

Bare Bones

A family friendly interactive exhibition, by Blue Tokay, that explores the fascinating world of animal skeletons.

Venue:
Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Woodland Road, Durham, DH7 9RH
Date:
May 23rd 2026 - Jun 21st 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
Adults £14 / Children £8 / under 5s free / annual memberships available

Rebel Women of Sunderland

Discover the bold, brilliant and boundary-breaking women who have shaped Sunderland in this powerful and thought-provoking exhibition. Updated for 2026, view all 30 Kathryn Robertson illustrations under one roof, for the first time. Rebel Women of Sunderland celebrates extraordinary local women, past and present, whose stories deserve to be seen and heard. From activists and artists to campaigners, pioneers and everyday trailblazers, the exhibition brings their achievements into focus through immersive storytelling, vibrant visuals and a compelling podcast series.

Venue:
Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Mowbray Gardens, Burdon Road, Sunderland, SR1 1PP
Date:
Mar 13th 2026 - Aug 1st 2026
Opening Times:
Sat 10:00 - 16:00 , Mon-Fri 09:30 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2025 and Exploring Identity

This spring and summer, visitors will have the chance to chart the history of portrait painting from the 16th century to the present day in two complementary exhibitions containing some of the finest historic, modern, and contemporary portraits. The Laing Art Gallery will show the National Portrait Gallery’s celebrated painting competition, the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2025, now in its 43rd year. The exhibition will be shown alongside Exploring Identity, a portraiture exhibition curated from North East Museums’ art collections that provides historical context to the Portrait Award.

Venue:
Laing Art Gallery, New Bridge Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8AG
Date:
Mar 28th 2026 - Sep 5th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:30
Price:
£11/£10

After the Fire

Around the year AD 300, a catastrophic fire destroyed many buildings of the fort. The 2026 exhibition explores what was rebuilt over the ruins and examines life at Arbeia during the fourth century, leading up to the end of Roman rule in Britain.

Venue:
Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum, Baring Street, South Shields, NE33 2BB
Date:
Mar 30th 2026 - Sep 27th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Fri 10:00 - 17:00 , Sun 13:00 - 16:00 , Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Following the Eagle

The exhibition will showcase rare Roman military diplomas inscribed on bronze, alongside other archaeological artefacts, exploring themes of identity, service, and travel within the Roman army. The Roman state adopted the eagle as an emblem to show that as well as power and authority, they had divine favour on their side. The army used it as a symbol since it embodied Rome itself and her honour.

Venue:
Segedunum Roman Fort, 2 Buddle Street, Wallsend, NE28 6HR
Date:
Mar 28th 2026 - Oct 3rd 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 15:00 , Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
£7.75/£5.50/under 22s and NE28 residents Free

James Needham Exhibition

James Needham was born in Rugby, England in 1983 and currently lives and works in Sydney, Australia. He studied at the Oxfordshire College of Art in the UK, graduating with a Diploma in General Art & Design in 2002 and received a Bachelor of Fine Art from Sydney’s National Art School in 2018.

Venue:
The Old School Gallery, Foxton Road, Alnmouth, Northumberland, NE66 3NH
Date:
May 8th 2026 - Jun 8th 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

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Broken

That’s the first 25 years and everything has changed. The Sunderland Indie looks up and finds nation fighting nation, epidemic and pandemic, climate change and riot, fire and flood, storm and rupture, Brexit and drowned boys, and everything is BROKEN. The Sunderland Indie, 25 years on: still searching, still questioning, still creating in the spaces where the world comes apart. Broken brings together new and recent works from local contemporary artists who respond to the fractures of modern life with honesty, urgency, and imagination.

Venue:
Arts Centre Washington, Biddick Lane, Fatfield, Washington, NE38 8AB
Date:
Apr 30th 2026 - Jun 6th 2026
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

Roger Wagner: The Seeds of Eternity Exhibition

The Bishop Trevor Rooms at Auckland Palace will host an exhibition of the works of artist and poet Roger Wagner. Weaving together Biblical narratives and contemporary landscapes, Wagner’s visionary paintings explore the mysteries of human existence.At the heart of the exhibition are two of the artist’s most compelling paintings: Menorah and The Harvest is the End of the World and the Reapers are Angels. Visitors will have the rare chance to see both works exhibited together for the first time since 1994, and for the first time ever in northern England.

Venue:
Auckland Palace and Gardens, Market Place, Bishop Auckland, DL14 7NR
Date:
Feb 18th 2026 - Dec 31st 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:30 - 16:00
Price:
Auckland Palace admission £20/£5 child.

Asylum: A Long and Painful Process (Photography Exhibition by Walking With, North Tyneside)

How long do those seeking sanctuary in the UK wait for the Home Office decision that will determine their future?Six months? Six years? It is rarely six months. It is often six years. Soon, it may be much, much longer. Created by artist Sadia Sikandar – herself a refugee – with the campaigning group at Walking With charity, this exhibition of images will be displayed ahead of Refugee Week 2026, featuring heartbreaking personal accounts that lay bare the journeys of people seeking sanctuary in the North East.

Venue:
Newcastle Cathedral, St. Nicholas Sq, Newcastle, NE1 1DF
Date:
May 15th 2026 - Jun 7th 2026
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 08:00 - 17:00 , Mon-Fri 08:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

Nadia Huggins Transformation No. 4

A new lightbox commission by Nadia Huggins exploring the marine environment in the Caribbean. You can find this artwork displayed on the right-hand wall as you enter through the main doors.

Venue:
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, South Shore Road, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Date:
Nov 8th 2025 - Jun 7th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

Sofia Barton Pop-up Shop

Sofia Barton's Shop2 takeover celebrates the "hidden" heritage and community leaders of our region, showcasing the vibrant work from her celebrated ‘Trailblazers’ mural, commissioned for the new fleet of Tyne and Wear Metro trains.

Venue:
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, South Shore Road, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Date:
Apr 18th 2026 - Sep 27th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

Everyday Elegance: Daily Lives of Women in Late Qing China

This exhibition explores the daily lives of women who lived in urban communities in Late Qing China—what they wore, what they ate, what they did for work and for fun. From silver hairpins to wood cake moulds to gilt lacquer boxes, these functional yet elegant objects reveal that women in 1800s China expressed their individuality in creative ways. They far exceeded the duties they were expected to fulfil, making important contributions to the successes of their families and communities.

Venue:
Oriental Museum, Elvet Hill, (off South Road), Durham, DH1 3TH
Date:
May 16th 2026 - Sep 20th 2026
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 12:00 - 16:00 , Tue and Thu-Fri 11:00 - 16:00 , Wed 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Can You Dig It?

An art exhibition in the Hadrian's Wall Gallery, created as part of the Treasure exhibition. The Great North Museum: Hancock invited four schools and a group of home educated people to take part in the Treasure programme. Each group worked alongside a local artist to produce artworks responding to the idea of treasure within the context of archaeology, bringing unique perspectives to the project.

Venue:
Great North Museum: Hancock, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4PT
Date:
Apr 14th 2026 - Sep 20th 2026
Opening Times:
Sat 10:00 - 16:00 , Sun 11:00 - 16:00 , Mon-Fri 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

New Contemporaries 2026

New Contemporaries presents its annual touring exhibition at MIMA, showcasing the work of 26 emerging and early‑career artists selected from across the UK. Widely regarded as a launchpad for the next generation of artistic talent, the exhibition offers a snapshot of contemporary practice today. Spanning painting, sculpture, installation, photography and moving image, the exhibition reflects the variety and quality of artistic practice across the UK

Venue:
Mima, Centre Square, Middlesbrough, TS1 2AZ
Date:
May 8th 2026 - Aug 16th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun 12:00 - 16:00 , Tue-Sat 10:00 - 16:30
Price:
Free

Jo Sharpe – Still/Life

South London based artist Jo Sharpe presents a series of still life’s and landscapes. Informed by the language of folk art with its honest forms and enduring connection to place, brushstrokes echo the rhythm of hand-stitching; colour palettes are drawn from hedgerows, chalk paths and sun-warmed earth.

Venue:
The Biscuit Factory, 16 Stoddard Street, Newcastle, NE2 1AN
Date:
May 8th 2026 - Jul 5th 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Kathryn Williams – Striking Image

Kathryn Williams is a Mercury Music Prize nominated folk singer and songwriter, novelist, podcaster and artist with 17 albums to her name. For this, her first solo exhibition in the North East, Kathryn presents tiny portrait paintings. These small works echo the tradition and fashion for painted miniatures observed in the court of Henry VIII and Francis I in the 1500’s. By painting these miniatures onto matchboxes – a household item – Kathryn subverts the hierarchy of paintings made solely for the elite. The matchboxes still contain some matches to show a practical purpose beyond their framed forms.

Venue:
The Biscuit Factory, 16 Stoddard Street, Newcastle, NE2 1AN
Date:
May 8th 2026 - Jul 5th 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Resilience

Resilience celebrates outstanding talent from across the Tees Valley. Selected from an Open Call, the exhibition brings together powerful artistic responses to resilience in all its forms. Five of the exhibiting artists will be shortlisted by an independent panel of judges, with visitors to the gallery encouraged to vote for their favourite artworks. Visitors can also enjoy the companion exhibition, Hartlepool’s Resilience, a co‑curated exhibition of objects and artworks from Hartlepool Borough Council’s collection, created with our dedicated volunteers and revealing the enduring resilience of the town.

Venue:
Hartlepool Art Gallery, The Tourist Information Centre, Church Square, Hartlepool, TS24 7EQ
Date:
May 2nd 2026 - Jul 4th 2026
Opening Times:
Tue-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Abundance

A new sculptural installation by Lizzie Klotz and Bethany Wells. Objects of rest, intimacy and transformation fill the gallery, creating an immersive, soft environment. Having toured Abundance as a live performance around the region, this installation makes a spatial, participatory experience from the show, shifting it from performance to presence – from something witnessed in time to an environment that holds people in space. The exhibition includes text-based invitations or scores that encourage visitors to listen and respond physically to the space, drawing on the Creative Captioning developed with a d/Deaf collaborator for the live performance. The scores act both as access provision and as artistic devices – extending the experience of sound through language and offering invitations that encourage visitors to engage.

Venue:
The NewBridge Project, Shieldfield Centre 4 - 8, Clarence Walk, off Stoddart St, Newcastle, NE2 1AL
Date:
Jun 6th 2026 - Aug 15th 2026
Opening Times:
Thu-Sat 12:00 - 17:00 , Wed 13:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Strike!

The General Strike of May 1926 rocked the country with King George V declaring a state of emergency. Around 1.5 to 2 million workers went on strike in support of ‘locked-out’ miners. This display marks 100 years since the General Strike.

Venue:
Discovery Museum, (Closed on all Bank Holidays) Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4JA
Date:
May 17th 2026 - Jan 17th 2027
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 11:00 - 16:00 , Mon-Fri 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Newcastle University BA Fine Art Degree Show 2026

Works of fifty-seven up-and-coming artists at the culmination of their four-year bachelor's degree in fine art.

Venue:
Hatton Gallery, The Quadrangle, University of Newcastle, 6 Kensington Terrace, Newcastle, NE1 7RU
Date:
May 23rd 2026 - Jun 6th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Ration Books to Moon Landings

The 1950’s and 60’s were two of the most significant decades in the history of the United Kingdom. Coming out of the ravages and losses of World War II, the nation had to literally and emotionally rebuild itself. The period saw great changes in the lives and living standards of all Britons, including the inhabitants of Alnwick and its surrounding area. This exhibition will draw on a wide range of artefacts, images and sound recordings from throughout the Bailiffgate collection, to explore the postwar decades.

Venue:
Bailiffgate Museum, 14 Bailiffgate, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1LX
Date:
Jun 3rd 2026 - Aug 30th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Tue-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
£6/£5/under 16s £1/under 5s Free

art-k Jesmond: Weekly Art Classes

A friendly neighbourhood art studio where children and teens can explore their creativity and grow artistic skills. In our weekly classes, students enjoy drawing, painting, sculpture, and mixed media in small, supportive groups. Every project is tailored to the individual, helping students build confidence and feel part of our creative community. Wednesdays.

Venue:
art-K Jesmond, 197 Sandyford Road, Jesmond, Tyne and Wear, NE2 1NP
Date:
May 20th 2026 - Jul 15th 2026
Opening Times:
20th May - 15th Jul 2026 16:15 - 17:30
Price:
£15.50

When Britain Stood Still: The General Strike at 100

To mark the 100th anniversary of the British General Strike, this exhibition reveals how workers, politicians and trade unionists faced the challenge of the General Strike and how its opponents organised to resist it. What emerges here from the documents, photographs and oral histories is a narrative of solidarity and sacrifice during Britain’s largest industrial dispute, as well as the hostile response from the government.

Venue:
Philip Robinson Library, Jesmond Road West, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE2 4HQ
Date:
May 8th 2026 - Oct 18th 2026
Opening Times:
8th May - 18th Oct 2026 TBC
Price:
Free

Following Ewe By Elaine Vizor

This exhibition by photographer Elaine Vizor celebrates the iconic Wensleydale sheep breed and its official naming at the 17th Great Yorkshire Show in 1876, 150 years ago. Though named in 1876, the Wensleydale traces its lineage back to ‘Bluecap’, a single sire born in 1839 in the Yorkshire Dales. The Wensleydale breed is a luxury wool producer and the wool is very characteristic of its wavy, open crimp, high lustre, immense drape and rather long staple length. The wool is highly sought after for a range of textile crafts and offers natural sustainability in a throwaway world.

Venue:
Bishop Auckland Town Hall, Market Place, Bishop Auckland, DL14 7NP
Date:
Jun 8th 2026 - Aug 29th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free