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The Crack Magazine

Art

Not just Nude

Challenge assumptions, look beyond tradition and explore fresh perspectives on the nude form in this special co-produced display in the Blue Picture Gallery. Featuring works by David Hockney, Giovanni Battista Cipriani and John Doubleday, discover the evolving depiction of the human body in art over centuries, question who’s missing, and consider how these images have shaped our perceptions of beauty, gender and identity, from idealised ancient sculptures to move challenging modern pieces.

Venue:
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8NP
Date:
May 9th 2025 - Aug 10th 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
£19.50/under 18s Free

Nathan Coley: You Create What You Will & Tate Modern on Fire

For the first time together, The Bowes Museum hosts Nathan Coley’s works, You Create What You Will (2014) and Tate Modern on Fire (2017.) Known for his thought-provoking public works, Coley explores how belief systems shape our cities, institutions and identities. Gaze up to the 5 and half metre illuminated text installation and wander around a mini burning version Tate Modern. Learn about the references behind the artworks, think about the roles of museums in society and reflect on your relationship with art.

Venue:
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8NP
Date:
Jun 13th 2025 - Feb 1st 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
£19.50/under 18s Free

Claire A Baker: In Progress and Process

North East award winning artist, maker and researcher, Claire A Baker has been commissioned to create a trio of flags titled In Progress and Process, in response to The Bowes Museum’s collection. Weaving together the past and present and exploring unfinished narratives these flags highlight the dynamic relationship between historic crafted artworks and contemporary practice. The series of flags, Process I, Process II, and Process III, show a visual journey of making and remaking, whilst a stitched tapestry design In Progress, inverts the traditional two-dimensional format of flags, transforming it into an interactive, tactile experience.

Venue:
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8NP
Date:
May 31st 2025 - Jan 18th 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
£19.50/under 18s Free

Enchanted Objects: Adornment and Personal Protection from Amulets to the Mobile Phone

Contemporary artist Dinah Kelly shines a light on the protective powers and symbolism of charms, talismans and amulets. She has drawn inspiration from our past and present connections with amulets to create a series of intricate and striking talismanic shirts and protective jewellery. Woven through the Silk Roads gallery these works are displayed alongside historic objects from the collection. The installation will also include some of Dinah’s sketchbooks and preliminary drawings, providing an insight into her artistic practice, and a talismanic shirt produced in collaboration with Creative Age, a weekly art group supporting people living with dementia and their carers.

Venue:
Oriental Museum, Elvet Hill, (off South Road), Durham, DH1 3TH
Date:
Jun 13th 2025 - Nov 9th 2025
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 12:00 - 17:00 , Tue-Wed and Fri 10:00 - 17:00 , Thu 10:00 - 19:00
Price:
Free

+Fabricating My Own Myth – Red Threads & Silver Needles

Step into a world where myth, memory, and material collide. Newcastle Contemporary Art proudly presents +Fabricating My Own Myth – Red Threads & Silver Needles, an exhibition by artist Delaine Le Bas, who continues her exploration of linguistics, mythology, and Gypsy Roma Traveller narratives through the tactile power of textiles, language, and storytelling. Unfolding as a monumental installation that spills across NCA’s two vast gallery spaces and beyond, Le Bas’ work transforms the building into a living, breathing tapestry of interconnected stories. Created during her month-long residency at Newcastle Contemporary Art this spring, the exhibition culminates in an immersive environment where fabric and thread become instruments of rebellion, resistance, and revelation.

Venue:
Newcastle Contemporary Art, High Bridge Works, 31-39 High Bridge, Newcastle upon-Tyne, NE1 1EW
Date:
May 31st 2025 - Aug 2nd 2025
Opening Times:
Thu-Sat 12:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Going Back Brockens: Monuments and Rhetoric After the Miners’ Strike

40 years on from the end of the miners’ strike, award-winning artist Narbi Price and acclaimed writer Mark Hudson have joined forces to create a major new exhibition exploring the changing landscapes and communities of County Durham’s post-industrial towns. Narbi Price’s 40 new paintings - created during the 40th anniversary year of the 1984/5 Miners’ Strike - depict former colliery sites as they stand today: silent spaces once central to working-class life, now reclaimed, repurposed, or left behind. Price’s paintings are paired with an immersive sound installation by Mark Hudson that revisits interviews from Hudson’s celebrated book Coming Back Brockens (1994), which capture the raw and emotive voices of those who lived through the strike.

Venue:
The Warehouse, Newgate Centre, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 7JQ
Date:
Jun 13th 2025 - Jul 5th 2025
Opening Times:
Thu-Sat 12:00 - 15:00
Price:
Free

Chalant

A two-person exhibition by Ailish Treanor (b.1995, Barnsley) and Jessie Whiteley (b.1993, Salisbury). Working across sculpture and painting, both artists share an interest in ideas around presentation and objectification. Treanor works regularly with paper, and will present a series of new wall-based sculptural forms that pull reference from fashion design but maintain an uncomfortable ambiguity. Whiteley will debut a suite of new paintings loaded with personal histories and voyeuristic perspectives from her travel and commutes across London.

Venue:
Slugtown, 44 Wretham Place, Shieldfield, Newcastle, NE2 1XU
Date:
May 23rd 2025 - Jun 21st 2025
Opening Times:
Fri-Sat 12:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

Celebrating Trees Exhibition

Northumbrian people celebrate trees in paint, textiles, poetry, stories and more. Nine groups and some individuals have worked with artist, Anna Corbett, to produce some fascinating multi-media work. ‘Meet the Artists’ sessions: Thursday 26th June between 1pm and 3pm & Tuesday 1st July between 10am and 12noon at the Alnwick Playhouse. On Wednesday 2nd July there will also be a demonstration by the Alnwick Lacemakers, again in the Alnwick Playhouse.

Venue:
Alnwick Playhouse Gallery, Bondgate Without, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1PQ
Date:
Jun 25th 2025 - Jul 7th 2025
Opening Times:
25th Jun - 7th Jul 2025 TBC
Price:
Free

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Study for a Painting

The exhibition aims to reflect on the evolving landscape of contemporary painting by highlighting diverse methodologies serving as a platform to offer a fresh interpretation of 21st-century painting. At the core of the show is an exploration of the ‘expanded field’ of painting, which challenges some of its conventional definitions and limitations. Artists challenge how painting can transcend the traditional flat canvas and easel, integrating various materials and techniques that blur the boundaries between painting and other art forms.

Venue:
Hatton Gallery, The Quadrangle, University of Newcastle, 6 Kensington Terrace, Newcastle, NE1 7RU
Date:
Jun 27th 2025 - Jul 26th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

The Wonderful World of the Ladybird Book Artists

A family-focused exhibition which celebrates the art of the Ladybird book artists from the 1940s to the 1970s. The display includes original art, audio visual elements and the centrepiece Wall of Books featuring hundreds of original volumes from the period. The exhibition is designed to engage younger visitors and to provide a dose of reminiscence and nostalgia for those who grew up with these classic works. A touring exhibition curated by Helen Day, Ladybird book specialist and enthusiast.

Venue:
Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Woodland Road, Durham, DH7 9RH
Date:
Jun 28th 2025 - Aug 31st 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
£10/under 18s £6/under 5s Free

Dinosaur rEvolution

Coming this summer, the blockbuster Dinosaur rEvolution exhibition will bring animatronic dinosaurs to Carlisle. The show will also feature replica fossils, skeletons and detailed illustrations by acclaimed artist Luis V. Rey. Dinosaur rEvolution will turn your idea of dinosaurs upside down. The exhibition draws upon recent research and presents dinosaurs with all the spikes, quills, horns, feathers and bright colours we now believe they had. No more drab dinosaurs, these exciting appearances will be presented through amazing visual representations of these incredible creatures.

Venue:
Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle Street, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 8TP
Date:
Jun 28th 2025 - Sep 14th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Adult admission (valid for 12 months) £15/Under 18s Free

Hartlepool Mural Festival

Get ready to be inspired by Hartlepool Mural Festival! Watch as community spaces come alive with breathtaking murals created by talented artists, and dive into the vibrant world of street art brought indoors at Hartlepool Art Gallery.

Venue:
Hartlepool Art Gallery, The Tourist Information Centre, Church Square, Hartlepool, TS24 7EQ
Date:
Jun 28th 2025 - Sep 6th 2025
Opening Times:
Tue-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Three Artists: Zac Weinberg, Joanna Manousis, and Anthony Amoako-Attah

Zac Weinberg, Joanna Manousis, and Anthony Amoako-Attah are artists based at National Glass Centre where they create their internationally acknowledged work. This exhibition offers a chance to see three individual shows in one building, including Zac’s ingenious constructions, Joanna’s work bringing together mirrored and cast glass, and Anthony’s practice inspired by traditional Ghanaian textile design.

Venue:
National Glass Centre, Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL
Date:
Jun 28th 2025 - Jan 10th 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Saelia Aparicio: A Joyful Parasite

A major new commission and solo exhibition by London-based Spanish artist Saelia Aparicio. For her presentation at Baltic, Aparicio will develop an ecosystem of characters and situations through a speculative universe dwelling on ideas of the organic by establishing analogies between corporeal and social mechanisms. Inspiration will come from classical mythology and the transformative forms found in Ancient Egypt and pre-Columbian Mesoamerica – blended between animals and humans such as the sphinx, Anubis or the Mayan Camazotz. Her installation will shape a fictional world, presenting hybrid bodies, built upon semantically loaded material where what is human or not blurs. These forms will be imagined through their gender fluidity, drawing from the ‘two-spirited’ idea that comes from indigenous North American culture.

Venue:
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, South Shore Road, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Date:
Jul 5th 2025 - Feb 1st 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

Like Ships in the Night: A Solo Exhibition of Rory Williams

Have you ever stopped to think about the people you encounter every day? The stranger on the bus, the shopper disappearing down another aisle, people in the street you catch as a fleeting glimpse as you walk by. These figures enter your life for a fraction of a moment only to disappear just as quickly, leaving nothing but a fuzzy afterimage of an idea. Yet, these people live complete lives, and in doing so they complete others’. This exhibition features paintings as candid observations of these characters, portraying encounters with individuals in Rory's everyday life.

Venue:
The Customs House Gallery, Mill Dam, South Shields, NE33 1ES
Date:
Jul 5th 2025 - Aug 11th 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

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Harold Offeh: The Mothership Collective 2.0

A platform for play, gathering, curiosity, imaginative making and thinking, The Mothership Collective 2.0 is a sci-fi playscape for collaborative encounters. You are invited to play and interact with activities and materials inspired by sci-fi, possible futures, and imagined utopian places. Different zones explore different sensory experiences. Experiment with weight and mass in the habitat zone, identity and performance on the yellow stage, make patterns with sound, and prophecies and predictions for the future with text.

Venue:
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, South Shore Road, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Date:
Jul 5th 2025 - Feb 1st 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

PRISM 2025: An exploration of surface and self

PRISM 2025 invites visitors to experience a dynamic takeover of Tullie’s newly refurbished entrance and foyer spaces, as well as the Garden, Lecture Theatre and City Hall Studio. The exhibition will feature large-scale painting, striking digital work, delicate ceramics, thought-provoking 3D forms and immersive storytelling. The exhibition showcases colour and joy, explores identity and lived experience, and challenges cultural perceptions of difference.

Venue:
Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle Street, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 8TP
Date:
Jul 7th 2025 - Jul 13th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Adult admission (valid for 12 months) £15/Under 18s Free

STEAM to the Future

This family friendly exhibition, following Railway Pioneers: Celebrating the Railway Rockstars of the Past, is transporting us into the present and beyond. STEAM to the Future takes a playful look at the near and BlueSky thinking using commissioned art pieces showcasing the design and science behind the rail industry.

Venue:
Hopetown, McNay Street, Darlington, DL3 6SW
Date:
Jul 11th 2025 - Oct 5th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Tue-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Magna Carta and the North

Durham Cathedral is fortunate to possess three issues of Magna Carta, including the only surviving 1216 issue and further engrossments from 1225 and 1300, along with three Forest Charters including one of only two surviving 1217 issues, and further issues from 1225 and 1300. Recognised as being one of the most important documents in history, Magna Carta was first issued in 1215. It established the principle that everyone is subject to the law, even the King himself, and guaranteed the rights of individuals, the right to justice and the right to a fair trial. With three clauses from the 1225 Magna Carta still in force today, the document remains a cornerstone of British democracy. 800 years after the 1225 Magna Carta was issued, this exhibition will feature all six documents, exploring why Durham Cathedral came to have them, what they meant for life in the north of England, and their continuing importance today.

Venue:
Durham Cathedral, Chapter Office, Palace Green, Durham, DH1 3EH
Date:
Jul 11th 2025 - Nov 2nd 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00 , Sun 12:00 - 16:00
Price:
£7.50/under 18s Free

An exhibition of work by Charlie Rogers

United by seven iconic bridges across a bustling quayside, Newcastle and Gateshead has been a source of inspiration for many local artists including Charlie Rogers. Charlie was a self-taught artist who lived close to Gateshead Central Library, exhibiting in the gallery many times during the 60 years that he painted. He had a unique style and character in his work which captured his love of the streets and back lanes of Tyneside and the areas near the library including the Shipley Art Gallery and Saltwell Park. This exhibition will showcase a selection of paintings, watercolours and sketches, including some artworks that have recently been discovered.

Venue:
Gateshead Central Library, Prince Consort Road, Gateshead, NE8 4LN
Date:
Jul 12th 2025 - Sep 27th 2025
Opening Times:
Sat 09:00 - 13:00 , Tue-Wed and Fri 09:00 - 17:00 , Mon and Thu 09:00 - 19:00
Price:
Free

Sci-Fi Monsters Exhibition: Seek, Locate, Restore!

Ten years ago, multi-media artist and author Neil Cole swapped life in the classroom for that of curator and creator of The Museum of Classic Sci-Fi in Allendale. For some 25 years, Neil has amassed and restored an eclectic collection of screen-used props, costumes and production material from classic films and TV series. This exhibition celebrates both the work of countless creatives who have sought to make real the impossible - and Neil’s work ensuring the survival of this legacy for future generations to enjoy.

Venue:
Queen's Hall Arts Centre, Beaumont Street, Hexham, NE46 3LS
Date:
Jul 14th 2025 - Sep 6th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Twenty Years of EDAN

2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of EDAN. This exhibition shows both the range of work they are currently undertaking and also something of their history.

Venue:
EDAN Gallery, The Art Block, 74 Church Street, Seaham, County Durham, SR7 7HF
Date:
Jul 15th 2025 - Aug 23rd 2025
Opening Times:
Tue-Fri 11:00 - 15:00 , Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

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Masala Festival: Death Magic by Sofia Barton

"Death Magic" offers a poignant journey through the intersection of neurodivergent experience and the rich tapestry of Punjabi perspectives on death, ancestry, and the enduring power of memory. This deeply personal exhibition by Sofia Barton presents a compelling collection of drawings, ethereal cyanotypes on glass, evocative paintings, and symbolically decorated rehals. These diverse mediums explore themes of roots, legacy, and how the essence of loved ones remains woven into the fabric of our lives, informed by both personal neurodivergent experiences and Punjabi cultural narratives. “Death Magic" invites contemplation on the delicate connections between life and remembrance.

Venue:
Vane, 65 High St, Gateshead, NE8 2AP
Date:
Jul 14th 2025 - Aug 2nd 2025
Opening Times:
Wed-Sat 12:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Where Were You Last Summer?

This exhibition examines women’s hidden voices of dissent from a South Asian perspective. Sehr Jalil and Padma Rao, two visual artists collaborate and explore the underlying currents of a post-colonial identity through personal stories and archival enquiry. In the context of the recent unrest in the summer of 2024, the artists investigate the tension and space between colonialism and women’s activism, unpacking the notion of conflict, violence and resilience; and how they are interpreted in the current climate.

Venue:
Arts Centre Washington, Biddick Lane, Fatfield, Washington, NE38 8AB
Date:
Jul 18th 2025 - Aug 30th 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

Harvest from the Deep

Pete Robinson is a North Shields-based award-winning wedding photographer but for the past 10 years has been on a mission to record the working and home lives of local fishermen engaged in one of the UK’s most dangerous industries. This exhibition includes a selection of photographs that capture the heart and soul of the North Shields fishing industry.

Venue:
The Old Low Light, Clifford's Fort, North Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE30 1JA
Date:
Jul 22nd 2025 - Aug 30th 2025
Opening Times:
Tue-Sat 10:00 - 15:00
Price:
Free

Shorelines

A mixed exhibition of contemporary art inspired by our island coastline. A host of artists from across a range of disciplines will be exhibiting work that celebrates the space where land meets sea - whether it's the natural features of sandy beaches and rocky shores, the wildlife and sealife that thrives in these places, or the way we enjoy our coastline. Expect a curated collection of paintings, print, sculpture, and more from artists including Graham Rider, Sarah Carrington, Graham Muir, Kate Boxer, Stephanie Cunningham, Rhonda Smith and many more.

Venue:
The Biscuit Factory, 16 Stoddard Street, Newcastle, NE2 1AN
Date:
Jul 25th 2025 - Sep 7th 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Pippa Hale: Pet Project

Showcasing a solo commission by acclaimed artist, Pippa Hale, Pet Project sees the museum’s renowned ceramic collection re-imagined into a vibrant and interactive experience for all ages. With larger-than-life, soft recreations of animal figurines that can be played with, art and animal lovers can explore a display of the original ceramics that inspired them and share their own cherished items with the community. Be inspired as you learn about the traditional decorating and manufacturing techniques, as well as the cultural stories behind the collection, and create your own charming figurines to take home.

Venue:
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8NP
Date:
Jul 26th 2025 - Mar 1st 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
£19.50/under 18s Free

Ro Robertson: The Ribs Begin To Rise

The first institutional solo show by contemporary artist Ro Robertson presenting a newly commissioned series of sculptural works alongside large-scale drawings and a video installation. Staged on the banks of the River Wear in Robertson’s hometown of Sunderland, The Ribs Begin to Rise takes inspiration from its location. It draws on the mouth of the River Wear, Sunderland Docks, Hendon Paper Works, the ropeworks and the 700 female shipbuilders who lived and worked in Sunderland. The exhibition reflects on Robertson’s family working-class history and the materials key to the industries which came to define Robertson’s upbringing and the region.

Venue:
Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, c/o National Glass Centre, Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL
Date:
Jul 26th 2025 - Jan 10th 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Jill McKnight: Past and Future Pact

A new body of work by artist Jill McKnight comprising sculpture, works on paper and video inspired by Sunderland’s industrial heritage. The artworks were produced using art and design facilities at University of Sunderland while artist-in-residence for AA2A and DePOT (Deindustrialization and the Politics of Our Time) between 2023-24. The resulting body of work explores the identity of Sunderland 30 years on from mass closures across many heavy industries.

Venue:
Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, c/o National Glass Centre, Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL
Date:
Jul 26th 2025 - Dec 9th 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

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‘Seeking the Disabled Christ’ – Exhibition by Rachel Holdforth

Traditional portrayals of Christ often emphasise ideals of perfection, strength and beauty. Yet, Christ is resurrected with his wounds. His full humanity and sharing in the complete range of human experiences is as important as his divinity, since he is Emmanuel, God with us. This collection of prints by Rachel Holdforth – a disabled, neurodivergent and queer spiritual director, printmaker and chaplain – challenges the conventions of beauty and perfection, offering a powerful critique of cultural and religious norms that have historically marginalised people with disabilities. Through these striking images, Christ is depicted in solidarity with all humanity, revealing that divinity is present in vulnerability, difference and embodied experience.

Venue:
Newcastle Cathedral, St. Nicholas Sq, Newcastle, NE1 1DF
Date:
Jul 30th 2025 - Aug 27th 2025
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 08:00 - 17:00 , Mon-Fri 08:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

Newcastle University MFA Fine Art Degree Show 2025

The Newcastle University Fine Art MFA Degree Show brings together the work of emerging artists at both the mid-point and the culmination of two years of study on the MFA. The exhibition includes a diverse set of contemporary voices, practices and media including painting, new media, film, video, sculpture, photography, print, sound, and installation.

Venue:
Hatton Gallery, The Quadrangle, University of Newcastle, 6 Kensington Terrace, Newcastle, NE1 7RU
Date:
Aug 9th 2025 - Aug 30th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Lafcadio Hearn – Kwaidan

This Autumn at Ushaw, see a touring exhibition of prints inspired by Lafcadio Hearn’s Kwaidan book of Japanese ghost stories. Perfect for spooky season! Hearn studied at Ushaw in the 1860s, subsequently he travelled in America and the Caribbean before settling in Japan. Renowned for his late nineteenth century works on Japanese life and culture, the exhibition features 40 original prints in response to the ghost stories.

Venue:
Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Woodland Road, Durham, DH7 9RH
Date:
Sep 6th 2025 - Nov 2nd 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
£10/under 18s £6/under 5s Free

British Wildlife Photography Awards

A revered showcase of nature photography in Britain and a crucial reminder of what value our woodlands, wetlands and other ecosystems still hold with award-winning photographs from different categories including animal behaviour, animal portraits, botanic Britain, black and white, British seasons, coast and marine, habitat, hidden Britain, urban wildlife and wild woods.

Venue:
Bishop Auckland Town Hall, Market Place, Bishop Auckland, DL14 7NP
Date:
Sep 13th 2025 - Nov 29th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free