Culture & Leisure
If your life has been all work and no play, it might be time to move to NewcastleGateshead. That's not to say we don't work hard here - any thriving city invariably has a strong work ethic - but we make the most of our free time as well. In fact, research carried out in 2007 by TV channel Artsworld found the city to be the arts capital of Britain. Perhaps one of the reasons Artsworld rated NewcastleGateshead so far above London, Leeds and Glasgow in its research is due to the accessibility of its cultural facilities. For a major city, NewcastleGateshead is surprisingly compact and it is perfectly easy to walk between any points in the city centre (although if you'd prefer not to, public transport will do the work for you).
This concentrated arrangement has its effect on the arts scene as well, lending it a community feel whereby the major venues are not in competition with one another but work hand in hand.
Music lovers will be more than satisfied here. The Sage Gateshead, another Gateshead College partner, has become a beacon for musical accomplishment in the North East, not only training young musicians but hosting a world-class programme of musical events as well. Other venues such as The Metro Radio Arena and Carling Academy play host to international bands, while The Cluny and Head of Steam help to launch up-and-coming local bands. Jumpin' Hot Club is a regular jazz night, while The Tyne and Cumberland Arms pubs are renowned for bringing something different to the music scene - from all-day music festivals to folk sessions. Digital nightclub is rumoured to have one of the best sound systems in the world!
With renovations and improvements all over the city, NewcastleGateshead's theatrical presence is the strongest it's ever been. From quality touring productions at Theatre Royal to new writing at Live Theatre to cutting edge drama at Northern Stage, there really is something for everyone. Many productions are created at both Live Theatre and Northern Stage before touring the country, providing excellent opportunities to showcase NewcastleGateshead's cultural strengths on a national stage. The Royal Shakespeare Company has its second home in Newcastle and tours here annually, performing at both Theatre Royal and Northern Stage. Dance City, the national dance agency for the North East, has an excellent reputation for both putting on dance productions and training dancers young and old.
Such a balance is typical of leisure pursuits in NewcastleGateshead: there aren't merely opportunities to take in the cultural landscape, but to participate and become a part of it also. An example of this can be seen at the newly restored Tyneside Cinema, the oldest surviving newsreel theatre in Britain and today a home for independent film in the North. Alongside watching movies here, you can become involved in a wide range of courses and classes, from studying classic British cinema to making your own short film. Since reopening in May 2008, the picture house is just one of the jewels in the city's cultural crown.
The BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, whose cutting edge programme of changing exhibitions is almost as well known as the iconic flour mill the gallery occupies on Gateshead Quays. There is also a wide range of smaller public and private galleries that keep the local arts scene ferociously successful. Look out for the Ouseburn Valley, where you'll find a host of venues, such as Northern Print and The Biscuit Factory, Britain's largest commercial art gallery, not to mention the fantastic centre for children's books, Seven Stories, (great for adults and children alike). Meanwhile, back in the city centre, you will find Waygood Gallery and Studios, a five-story venue of artists' studios, exhibition spaces, art boutique and cafe bar.
Then there are the timeless cultural venues that continue to impress. Under the umbrella of Tyne and Wear Museums, you'll find 11 galleries and museums, including the Laing Art Gallery (a fantastic Pre-Raphaelite collection and a wonderful area for Under 5s) and the Discovery Museum (fun for children of all ages), Shipley Art Gallery (one of the largest craft collections outside London) and The Great North Museum. All offer free entry and cleverly appeal on many different levels. Those with children in tow should also make a priority of the fun-for-all Centre for Life interactive science museum in the centre of Newcastle.
365 days a year, there is something going on in NewcastleGateshead, with highlights such as the fantastic Winter Festival, which includes Christmas markets and firework and lighting displays, Gateshead Jazz Festival, Mouth of the Tyne festival of world music at Tynemouth and South Shields, Evolution live music festival and the hugely popular SummerTyne extravaganza.
The cosmopolitan culture of the city is celebrated through many annual events such as the Newcastle Mela, a celebration of Indian culture, the Chinese New Year celebrations, the EAT! NewcastleGateshead food festival and the Tyneside Irish festival. A relative newcomer, the Vamos! Festival of Latin and Lusophone cultures, gets better every year, while the Americana Festival attracts music-lovers from far and wide. Between open-air concerts and plays, music festivals, kite festivals and surfing championships, every week there is entertainment for all the family. Similarly, a programme of world-class cultural events ensures that NewcastleGateshead and the wider region is never far from the headlines, providing colour, interest and fun for the burgeoning number of visitors.