All 64 places taking part in The Late Shows 2026 as huge event returns

The 64 Newcastle and Gateshead venues offering late opening over Friday and Saturday

Around 30,000 people are due to turn out for The Late Shows over the next two nights, no doubt all keen to take advantage of another opportunity to explore a vast range of venues at a time they normally would be closed to the public. As previously reported, The Late Shows is an annual highlight and this year’s family-friendly event will involve a whopping 64 venues across Newcastle and Gateshead over its May 8-9 run.

Among them will be the city’s Ouseburn Farm and Grainger Market as well as Dunston Staithes in Gateshead – just three options representing the wide mix of places which will be opening for free as part of the so-called ‘culture crawl’ organised by North East Museums. Many of its museums and galleries will be taking part, alongside arts organisations and cultural hubs, with the Ouseburn area set be the focus of this Friday’s opening night activities, from 6pm to 10.30pm..

Then it will be all action around wider Newcastle and Gateshead from 6pm-10pm on Saturday. A free Stagecoach bus service will be on offer – a LS3 bus on Friday and LS1 on Saturday – linking key venues so that visitors can pack in as many as possible.

An extra LS2 bus will run from Shipley Art Galley in Gateshead to connect more out-of-the-way venues that side of the river. A map is available online – with full details of the programme on offer – and below is a list of all venues participating over the next two evenings as the award-winning Late Shows, which first took place in 2007, returns for another treat.

The Late Shows – Friday, May 8

Ouseburn, Newcastle

Flea Circus – shop, exhibition, music and grilled oysters

Biscuit Tin Studios – printing techniques

Christ Church – Silks, Trapezes, Organs & Drums performance

School of Design, Northumbria University – open studio plus exhibitions

The NewBridge Project – new work exhibitions

Yoga x Life – wellness drop-in workshops

Shieldfield Art Works – craft, clay and ice cream

The Biscuit Factory – Folk Stories

Incubate Experimental Printmaking – workshops

Cobalt Studios – live ‘scream’ event and music party

Nothern Print – printing exhibition celebrating Japanese artist Fusako Yoshikawa

The Time Bandits @ Seven Stories – The Home Guard 1940-944

Ouseburn Yard – Brushstrokes & Beats: live painting and creative activities

Hot Wax – candle-pouring and fizz

Malarkey – fashion takeover of Ouseburn Yard

Ouseburn Farm – celebrating 50 years: food, drinks and games

Radio Ouseburn – live on air

36 Lime Street – open studios

The Find – Night Owls and Early Birds artist event

Jim Edwards Studio – meet the artist

Sora Studio – no details confirmed

Flaura Rose – Mural reveal by artist Lucie in the Sky

Ouseburn Trust – maps, music, mammals: creative event

Victoria Tunnel – taster tours

The Space by St Oswald’s Hospice – art session

Toffee Factory – dress-up and disco collaboration with The Cumberland Arms

Louise Goult x BottleWorks – embroidery workshops and exhibition

Brinkburn St Brewery Bar – beers and band

Albion Row Studios – meet the artists event

The Late Shows – Saturday, May 9

Gateshead

St Mary’s Heritage Centre – 1800s games night

Hidden Heights Creative Studio – sketching and DJs

Station East – open mic night

65 Hight Street – beach party; maker space plus drawing workshop at Vane

Green Heart Collective- alternative Alt Met Gala exhibition

Orbis Community, West Street – create a Gateshead landmark print

The Kittiwake Trust Multilingual Library – poetry, stories and music from many languages

Gateshead Libraries, Arts & Heritage – power of plants event

Shipley Art Gallery – crafting and creativity

Bensham Grove Community Centre – artists and workshops

The Soundroom – bands and music-making

Dunston Staiths – sunset visit and short history film

Newcastle West End and Quayside

Bessie Surtees House – open evening

Newcastle Castle – The Blackbird Tavern medieval pub

Newcastle Cathedral – guided churchyard tour

Summerhill Bowling Club – ‘hidden gem’ visit

Central Newcastle

Discovery Museum – music and round of golf offer

Alphabetti Theatre – True North poetry trail plus karaoke singalong

Arcadea Disability Arts – dancing and bar

The Common Room – installation, Lego and singalong

Newcastle Arts Centre – street art exhibition

The Black Swan – live music

D6 – open studio

Blackfriars – history tour

Tyneside Irish Centre – rare opening of top floor Gallery room

Grainger Market – Late Show takeover including music

City centre and Haymarket

Newcastle Contemporary Art at High Bridge Works – open studio and exhibition

Castle Fine Art – art of Bob Dylan

Tyneside Cinema Bar Café – silent disco

Newcastle City Library – music, silent disco, games and alcohol plus exploration of African heritage

Laing Art Gallery – crafting workshop and tour

Northumbria University, Student Central – ‘Shakespeare’s world’ game plus hands-on musical ‘instruments’

Farrell Centre – dolls housing-making

Hatton Gallery – Happy! exhibition

Great North Museum: Hancock – treasure exhibition

For full details of what activities and facilities will be available at each venue see here.

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