Having taken an enormous hit in their visitor numbers due to Covid, 10 of Newcastle's leading cultural attractions recently issued a joint plea to persuade people back through their doors.
Leading city venues including galleries and museums, plus Baltic and Sage Gateshead over the river, got together to urge everyone to 'come back to culture' after some venues saw a 50% drop in footfall because of the pandemic, from which they have not recovered. Now, with the Easter holidays offering most people ample opportunity to rediscover the rich wealth of cultural treasures on their doorstep, the group - Newcastle Gateshead Cultural Venues - has drawn up a list of good reasons why they should.
NGCV includes Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, which itself covers nine venues; Baltic; Dance City; Life; Live Theatre; Northern Stage; Sage Gateshead; Seven Stories; Theatre Royal and Tyneside Cinema and the ideas showcase some of the new season of events, exhibitions and activities under way around Newcastle - and there are so many more. To find out the whole range of what is currently on offer see here.
Read more: Events happening around Newcastle this Easter
Easter's 10 cultural highlights
Join an Easter Dance Camp
From April 19-22, Dance City in Newcastle is offering youngsters aged five to 14 the chance to learn everything from contemporary, street and break moves, to Bollywood and musical theatre dance. See: www.dancecity.co.uk.
Journey into space
Visitors to Life Science Centre’s Space Zone can find out how we are already using space technology in our everyday lives and discover how the future of space exploration is being shaped here in the North East. Find out more at www.life.org.uk.
What will you be doing during the Easter holidays? Let us know in the comments below
Meet Frog and friends
The story of Oi Frog & Friends - from the bestselling books by Kes Gray and Jim Field - is being brought to life at Northern Stage. For performance details see the Newcastle theatre's website: www.northernstage.co.uk.
Draw inspiration from animals
Newcastle’s Great North Museum: Hancock is following on from a Roman festival event with a family-friendly workshop using Biros to draw favourite animals; inspired by its exhibition Where Did All The Animals Go? Biros are the pens used in the multi-layered drawings of artist, and Drawing for the Planet founder, Jane Lee McCracken who also does sculptures and worked with Born Free. See www.greatnorthmuseum.org.uk.
Discover toys
Discovery Museum in Newcastle is inviting families to follow a trail with clues to find hidden toys and those who complete it are in with a chance of winning a chocolate hamper. It's available, save for Bank Holidays, until April 24. See www.discoverymuseum.org.uk.
Immerse yourself in colour
Families are invited to step into an extraordinary colourful world at Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead where an exhibition by artist Ad Minoliti is guaranteed to add colour to life. See www.baltic.art.
Get Crafty
In Gateshead the Shipley Art Gallery’s Family Arts Festival includes hands-on creative activities for children aged four and over this Easter - and they are all inspired by springtime. See www.shipleyartgallery.org.uk.
Explore art education
Newcastle University’s Hatton Gallery is hosting an interactive exhibition of contemporary art exploring art education movements from around the world. Learn more at www.hattongallery.org.uk.
Go wild
Northern Ballet is stopping off at Seven Stories, the national centre for children's books in Newcastle, on April 19-20 for two events. There's a Merlin dance workshop, where five to nine-year-olds can learn some basic ballet exercises inspired by the Merlin ballet; and a Where The Wild Things Are is a 'dance storytime'. Based on Maurice Sendak's book, this one-hour session for under-fives will combine music, storytelling, interactive activities and relaxation. See www.sevenstories.org.uk.
Experience Vivaldi’s Four Seasons live
Royal Northern Sinfonia will perform Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at Sage Gateshead on April 22 - an experience capturing the birdsong of spring, the downpours of summer, the celebrations of autumn and the icy shiver of Winter. See www.sagegateshead.com.
