Free cookie consent management tool by TermsFeed Jump directly to main content

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

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

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

All Change! The Social Impact of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in the 200 years after 1825

A colourful new exhibition focusing on the impact of passenger railways on North-East life. Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the first locomotive passenger train – a local invention that transformed the world – the importance and magnitude of the birth of the Stockton and Darlington Railway on transport systems around the globe cannot be measured.

Venue:
The Story, Mount Oswald, South Road, Durham, DH1 3TQ
Date:
May 26th 2025 - Jan 30th 2026
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 10:00 - 17:00 , Thu 00:00 - 19:00 , Mon-Fri 00:00 - 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

Dressed for Departure: Fashion in the age of rail

Commemorating the Stockton and Darlington Railway’s bicentenary, this special exhibition brings together historic fashion, toys and artworks that reflect on how the engineering marvel reshaped lives and culture. See the world’s first toy train set up close, gifted by Edward Pease, the ‘Father of the Railway’, to his son, garments from key moments in the region’s railway history and artworks that capture its journey through the picturesque landscapes of Teesdale.

Venue:
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8NP
Date:
Sep 27th 2025 - Jan 1st 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
£19.50/under 18s 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

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 - Feb 28th 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00 , Mon-Sat 10:00 - 15:00
Price:
Adults: £3.98 | £2.98 Concessions ( includes £1 voluntary donation), NE28 residents Free

glasshouse nov 25.gif

Hexham Lantern Parade Exhibition

For the past four years, Hexham Lantern Parade has brought people together after dark to celebrate community, music, and light. This exhibition is a chance to see the giant lanterns up close and look back at previous parades, as we get ready to bring the parade back in 2026.

Venue:
Queen's Hall Arts Centre, Beaumont Street, Hexham, NE46 3LS
Date:
Oct 5th 2025 - Nov 22nd 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
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 - Feb 28th 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00 , Mon-Sat 10:00 - 15:00
Price:
Adults: £3.98 | £2.98 Concessions ( includes £1 voluntary donation), NE28 residents Free

Jagged Edges

An exhibition of printmaking, poetry and music created by and for survivors of church-related abuse. The artists – David Creese, Peter Locke and Sarah Troughton – draw links between their own experiences and the story of Jesus as he approached his crucifixion.

Venue:
Newcastle Cathedral, St. Nicholas Sq, Newcastle, NE1 1DF
Date:
Oct 1st 2025 - Nov 26th 2025
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 08:00 - 17:00 , Mon-Fri 08:00 - 18:00
Price:
Free

'In Motion – Middlesbrough Collection'

Artists are inventive and curious. They ask big questions and spark bold ideas – whether by exploring new ways to create, experimenting with materials or imagining possible futures. In Motion is a display of artwork from the Middlesbrough Collection held at MIMA. The Collection holds 2,350 works of art and craft made by artists based in the Tees Valley and internationally from the mid-1800s to today.

Venue:
Mima, Centre Square, Middlesbrough, TS1 2AZ
Date:
Apr 11th 2025 - Mar 22nd 2026
Opening Times:
Sun 12:00 - 16:00 , Tue-Sat 10:00 - 16:30
Price:
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

The Battle of Britain in North-East England

An exhibition of Battle of Britain paintings by local artist Denis Fox. The exhibition is timed to coincide with the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

Venue:
Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Woodland Road, Durham, DH7 9RH
Date:
Aug 30th 2025 - Nov 16th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
Adults £14 / Children £8 / under 5s free / annual memberships available

Murillo: Master of the Golden Age Exhibition

Step into the splendour of Spain’s Golden Age through the work of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo - one of the most celebrated and enduring artists of his time.

Venue:
The Spanish Gallery, Market Place, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 7JF
Date:
Jul 29th 2025 - Dec 31st 2025
Opening Times:
29th Jul - 31st Dec 2025 00:00
Price:
Free with Auckland Palace admission

bowesmuseum 2.jpg

Colour: A Season of Shades, Tints & Tones

What is colour? Why does it mean different things in different cultures and times? And how has colour been linked to power, value, and even prejudice? From the deep blues of religious art to the fiery reds of political movements, colour is more than just something we see – it’s something we feel, use, and sometimes even smell. Colour: A season of shades, tints & tones dives into this fascinating world, revealing how colour influences our beliefs, our identity, and our reality. Expect works from Wassily Kandinsky, Andy Warhol and Hokusai, alongside the beguiling plumage of the ruby-topaz hummingbird and more everyday uses of colour from cosmetics to Cadbury’s purple.

Venue:
Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle Street, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 8TP
Date:
Sep 27th 2025 - Jan 25th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Adult admission (valid for 12 months) £15/Under 18s Free

Guiding Entities: Zoë Zo, Zoë Tumika & Zoë Guthrie

Guiding Entities is a solo exhibition by Glasgow-based artist Zoë Tumika, who works under the names Zoë Zo, Zoë Tumika & Zoë Guthrie. Spanning ceramics, film and sound, Tumika’s work draws on Black radical traditions of resistance and creativity. The exhibition takes the River Tees and River Clyde as starting points to reflect on extraction, resistance and the possibility of repair. They describe their practice as “a way of processing collision and untethering” — grappling with being and belonging across temporal, material, and spiritual dimensions. Their work negotiates the charged terrain of museums as sites of cultural construction and colonial legacy.

Venue:
Mima, Centre Square, Middlesbrough, TS1 2AZ
Date:
May 17th 2025 - Nov 23rd 2025
Opening Times:
Sun 12:00 - 16:00 , Tue-Sat 10:00 - 16:30
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

Brian Eyler Exhibition

Brian Eyler is a professional landscape photographer originally from San Diego, now living in Newcastle. After moving in 2019 to join his wife, Brian shifted gears when the COVID-19 pandemic paused his video production business. Instead of stepping back, he returned to photography - his passion for over a decade. During this time, he drew inspiration from classical oil painters like Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Kinkade, whose romantic use of light and atmosphere influenced his evolving style. Brian’s work blends the realism of photography with the emotive qualities of fine art, often using panoramic formats to convey immersive, expansive scenes.

Venue:
Queen's Hall Arts Centre, Beaumont Street, Hexham, NE46 3LS
Date:
May 23rd 2025 - Jan 5th 2027
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Lintukoto

NewBridge presents a new solo exhibition by artist Henna Asikainen. Taking its name from Finnish mythology, Lintukoto is a warm, haven at the far edges of the world, where the sky meets earth, and birds were thought to migrate to for winter. The exhibition centres on an installation – a new sound work and a forest of birds’ nests. A chorus of voices both human and non-human speak to migration, climate change, and the possibilities of creating sanctuary in an age marked by crisis.

Venue:
The NewBridge Project, Shieldfield Centre 4 - 8, Clarence Walk, off Stoddart St, Newcastle, NE2 1AL
Date:
Nov 1st 2025 - Nov 29th 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 12:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing

When a Palestinian filmmaker based in Scotland unearths a rarely-seen Scottish film archive of Palestinian wildflowers, he decides to reclaim the footage. This tender film essay questions the role of image-making as a tool for both testimony and violence when connected to the entanglements between people and the land.

Venue:
The NewBridge Project, Shieldfield Centre 4 - 8, Clarence Walk, off Stoddart St, Newcastle, NE2 1AL
Date:
Nov 1st 2025 - Nov 29th 2025
Opening Times:
Daily 12:00 - 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

gct 2.jpg

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

Journey of a Century: From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum

2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Palace Museum in Beijing. Using archival and recent photographs, this exhibition presents the transformative 100 years of the Palace Museum from an imperial palace complex to a public institution that serves as a museum, research centre, cultural tourist attraction, historic palace complex, and World Heritage Site.

Venue:
Oriental Museum, Elvet Hill, (off South Road), Durham, DH1 3TH
Date:
Sep 26th 2025 - May 31st 2026
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 12:00 - 16:00 , Tue and Thu-Fri 11:00 - 16:00 , Wed 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Shipyard Faces and Intriguing Spaces….a drawing and painting retrospective

Tyneside artist Peter Burns whose drawings and paintings depict scenes from the river’s shipyards where he spent his working life as a plater. These include characters and scenes inspired by his many years working across shipyards on the Tyne, while others capture ‘intriguing spaces’ he has come across at home and abroad, including urban and rural landmarks.

Venue:
The Old Low Light, Clifford's Fort, North Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE30 1JA
Date:
Oct 28th 2025 - Dec 20th 2025
Opening Times:
Tue-Sat 10:00 - 15:00
Price:
£5

90 Years Going Further Together

A display celebrating 90 years of Newcastle International Airport from its inception, its role in the Second World War to its place in the North East region today. Featuring images from the Airport’s archive offering a glimpse into the Airport’s past and significance in the modern world.

Venue:
Discovery Museum, (Closed on all Bank Holidays) Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4JA
Date:
Jul 25th 2025 - Jan 11th 2026
Opening Times:
Sat-Sun 11:00 - 16:00 , Mon-Fri 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

The Art of Conservation

This exhibition offers a glimpse into the process of art conservation and shows visitors, how the experts at North East Museums, preserve and restore artworks to ensure their longevity and integrity. The Art of Conservation celebrates many artworks, some of which have never been on display, and shines a light on the vital work of conservation. This exhibition is a unique opportunity for the public to step behind the scenes and discover how art is preserved and protected.

Venue:
South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, Ocean Road, South Shields, NE33 2JA
Date:
Jul 19th 2025 - Dec 6th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Fri 10:00 - 17:00 , Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
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

hate crime long.png

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

A major exhibition from award-winning artist Narbi Price and acclaimed writer Mark Hudson, sharing stories of hope and aspiration in mining communities 40 years after the Miners’ Strike. The show features 43 new paintings by Narbi depicting locations across County Durham connected to the mining industry as they are now, alongside a sound installation created by Mark using interviews recorded with the people of Horden between 1991 – 92, several years after the Miners’ Strike.

Venue:
Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Mowbray Gardens, Burdon Road, Sunderland, SR1 1PP
Date:
Sep 12th 2025 - Jan 3rd 2026
Opening Times:
Sat 10:00 - 16:00 , Mon-Fri 09:30 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Walking: Mapping Self Through Place - An exhibition by Jane Young

The artworks in this exhibition were created in direct response to walks taken in the Derwent Valley during Jane Young's year-long artist residency at Lockhaugh Farm in Rowlands Gill.

Venue:
Gateshead Central Library, Prince Consort Road, Gateshead, NE8 4LN
Date:
Oct 25th 2025 - Jan 10th 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

Mag Lime Magic

This show celebrates the unique natural heritage of the local Magnesian Limestone coast. With inspiration drawn from the area's geology through various artistic media.

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

North of England Art Club: Recent Work

North of England Art Club members, who are professional and amateur artists based in Newcastle Arts Centre, display their latest work. Members from all over the region present work in a range of two-dimensional materials and styles, abstract and figurative. Subject matters include life drawing, portraiture, still life, seascapes, and much more.

Venue:
The People's Theatre Gallery, Open only on performance nights, People's Theatre, Stephenson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 5QF
Date:
Sep 30th 2025 - Dec 5th 2025
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 18:30 - 21:00
Price:
Free

North Shields - 800 Years in the Making

This exhibition takes visitors on a journey from the town’s humble beginnings with a small settlement of shiels – fishermen’s huts – at the mouth of the Pow Burn where the fish quay is today, through wars and conflict, innovation and prosperity, through to growth and development. Although its main focus is eight centuries of the town’s history, it starts with an explanation of how archaeological evidence suggests a prehistoric settlement near Northumberland Park dating back almost 6,000 years and how the earliest legends speak of battles between gods and giants.

Venue:
The Old Low Light, Clifford's Fort, North Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE30 1JA
Date:
Jul 22nd 2025 - Jan 31st 2026
Opening Times:
Tue-Sat 10:00 - 15:00
Price:
£5

Some Kind of Love: Actions and Reactions to Living on a Damaged Planet

A solo exhibition by award winning artist Uta Kögelsberger. Through a series of interconnected works spanning video, sound and installation, the exhibition continues Kogelsberger’s sustained investigation of the complex relationships between human and ecological systems in a time of environmental change. It brings together, for the first time, four major bodies of new and existing works that navigate the tensions between destruction and nurture, fragility and resilience, loss and regeneration.

Venue:
Hatton Gallery, The Quadrangle, University of Newcastle, 6 Kensington Terrace, Newcastle, NE1 7RU
Date:
Sep 20th 2025 - Jan 24th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Into the Spirit

An end of year exhibition that brings to life our fascination with the world of spirits, ghosts, ghouls, folk myths and the unexplained. From bumps in the night to shadowy figures spotted from the corner of your eye, this exhibition will celebrate the phenomenon of otherworldliness, something that has intrigued humanity across history and different cultures.

Venue:
The Redcar Palace, Palace 28, 28-29 Esplanade, Redcar, TS10 3AE
Date:
Oct 31st 2025 - Nov 24th 2025
Opening Times:
Tue-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

lumiere 2.jpg

Tom Hume: Retrospective

The first comprehensive exhibition of the work of Tom Hume, a Durham-based artist and art teacher. The display will include oils, preparatory drawings, sketchbooks and poems.

Venue:
Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Woodland Road, Durham, DH7 9RH
Date:
Nov 8th 2025 - Jan 18th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
£10/under 18s £6/under 5s Free

Corridors

A breath-taking new installation by internationally acclaimed artist Rebecca Louise Law. Suspended delicately from the ceiling, thousands of preserved flowers, many of which have been grown in the museum's own Walled Garden, come together in an immersive display. The installation takes inspiration from the fact that the original Stockton and Darlington Railway line ran through Preston Park.

Venue:
Preston Park Museum, Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 3RH
Date:
Sep 13th 2025 - Jan 4th 2026
Opening Times:
Sun and Tue-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Adult £12/child £8/under 3s Free

Barbie photo exhibition: 'Life is a beach'

Photo art exhibition ' Life is a beach' of Instagram star @Barbie.moi by artist Krista Puranen Wilson (Urban & Eastern Productions).

Venue:
Bottleworks, 8 Riverside Walk, Ouseburn, Newcastle, NE6 1LX
Date:
Nov 6th 2025 - Nov 11th 2025
Opening Times:
6th - 11th Nov 2025 00:00
Price:
Free

Heartwood

This exhibition captures the essence of the Sycamore Gap tree and the impression it left on those who connected with it. Individually themed, named and coloured, the giant tree prints, created by printmaker Shona Branigan, show every tree ring groove and detail from the cross-section of the almost heart shaped trunk of the 200-year-old tree.

Venue:
Great North Museum: Hancock, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4PT
Date:
Sep 27th 2025 - Jan 18th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Fri 10:00 - 17:00 , Sun 11:00 - 16:00 , Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

Transformations

An exhibition of ceramic and wood carved constructions that explores organic and industrial processes of growth and disintegration. In various stages of fragmentation and assembly, emerging and then submerging within more scattered or amorphous states, the sculptures appear both familiar and alien evoking a range of moods and inviting contemplation of possible functions and meanings.

Venue:
Ex Libris Gallery, Edward VI Fine Art Building, Newcastle University
Date:
Nov 4th 2025 - Nov 14th 2025
Opening Times:
4th - 14th Nov 2025 TBC
Price:
Free

Monumental

Featuring artworks from the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art collection selected by – 2nd and now 3rd Year – Fine Art students from University of Sunderland exhibited alongside their own artwork. Each student selected an artwork from the collection which encapsulated the monumental. Together the seven artworks examine monumental structures, be it public sculptural monuments, giant vapor trails, melting Icelandic glaciers, crystallised desert landscapes, state systems, or the miner’s cage near Easington Colliery.

Venue:
National Glass Centre, Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL
Date:
Oct 25th 2025 - Feb 14th 2026
Opening Times:
Daily 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Gateway to the world

Three iconic masterpieces by celebrated Victorian artist William Powell Frith will be on display at Preston Park Museum, in a landmark exhibition that brings them together for the first time. The Railway Station, Life at the Seaside (Ramsgate Sands), and Derby Day will be displayed as part of Gateway to the World. This is a first for the North East, offering visitors a rare chance to view these nationally significant works without travelling outside the region.

Venue:
Preston Park Museum, Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 3RH
Date:
Sep 13th 2025 - Dec 7th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Tue-Sat 10:00 - 16:00
Price:
£12/£8/under 3s Free

rude health 2.jpg

Women of Experiment

A celebration of women's untold stories - etched into the very wood of railway history. A goods waggon, rescued from a farmer's field after over 100 years, has been transformed into a giant woodcut printing block by artist Suzie Devey. Carved with powerful stories of women connected to the Stockton & Darlington Railway, the waggon now stands as a symbol of the often overlooked role of women. Inspired by Experiment, voices from generations of people who lived and worked along the line are represented.

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

Miniature Worlds: Little Landscapes from Thomas Bewick to Beatrix Potter

This exhibition explores the intricate beauty of small-scale landscapes across three centuries of British art. The exhibition has a particular focus on vignette format illustrations and the changing relationship between text, illustration, and publishing. Highlights include seven highly detailed watercolours by JMW Turner, whose 250th birthday is being celebrated this year, a dramatic and diminutive drawing by John Martin, and nine intricate watercolours by Beatrix Potter. The exhibition includes over 130 objects, 90 of which are loans from other UK collections.

Venue:
Laing Art Gallery, New Bridge Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8AG
Date:
Oct 28th 2025 - Feb 28th 2026
Opening Times:
Mon-Sat 10:00 - 16:30
Price:
£11/£10

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

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.

Venue:
Locomotion, 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

Young Railway Photographer of the Year

Launching the summer programme, this exhibition will include the winning and commended photographs in the nationwide competition organised by the National Railway Museum & the Railway Photographic Society.

Venue:
Locomotion, Dale Road Industrial Estate, Dale Road, Shildon, County Durham, DL4 2RE
Date:
Jun 1st 2025 - Dec 31st 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Spaces for Nature

An exhibition exploring how urban brownfield sites can become vital spaces of cultural and ecological diversity and resilience for both humans and non-humans.

Venue:
Farrell Centre, The Sir Terry Farrell Building, Eldon Place, Newcastle, NE1 7RD
Date:
Jul 3rd 2025 - Dec 19th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Keep on the Grass

An exhibition inviting you to think about the role of signs in public spaces: what signs are needed, which ones work and why. Are there too many signs? What kind of signs work best for you? How do they make you feel?

Venue:
Farrell Centre, The Sir Terry Farrell Building, Eldon Place, Newcastle, NE1 7RD
Date:
Jul 3rd 2025 - Dec 19th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Creative Central NCL

An exhibition showcasing proposals by students from Newcastle and Northumbria Universities for fostering creativity in the heart of Newcastle city centre. This exhibition presents a selection of design ideas developed by architecture, interior architecture, landscape and urban design students from both universities, including collaboration with local creatives, design practices and schools.

Venue:
Farrell Centre, The Sir Terry Farrell Building, Eldon Place, Newcastle, NE1 7RD
Date:
Jul 3rd 2025 - Dec 19th 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:00 - 17:00
Price:
Free

Fuelling the Railway Revolution

This special exhibition explores the inextricable link between coal mining and the railways. Born out of the necessity to transport coal, both below and above ground, the development of the railways was powered by the mining industry. Uncover the story through the work of artists who witnessed this social and technological transformation, and those who have been inspired by it since.

Venue:
Mining Art Gallery, Bishop Auckland, County Durham
Date:
Jun 27th 2025 - Dec 21st 2025
Opening Times:
Sun and Wed-Sat 10:30 - 16:00
Price:
Free with Mining Art Gallery admission

Affordable Art

Back by popular demand, the second Affordable Art Exhibition brings together original works under £100 - many under £50. With no judging, this open call celebrates creativity an accessibility. It's the perfect chance to discover unique art and support local talent. Whether for yourself or as a gift, treat someone special this Christmas with a piece of original art.

Venue:
Redcar Contemporary Art Gallery, 13 West Terrace, Redcar, TS10 1DS
Date:
Nov 8th 2025 - Nov 30th 2025
Opening Times:
Wed-Sat 11:00 - 16:00
Price:
Free

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