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Ten artist studios throw open their doors for the annual Ouseburn Open Studios
Ten artist studios, venues and galleries in and around Newcastle’s Ouseburn will be open to the public on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th March as part of the annual Ouseburn Open Studios weekend, which offers art lovers the opportunity to enter local creative spaces, most of which are typically closed to visitors for the majority of the year.
Countless artists, creatives and makers will be available to visit at 36 Lime Street, where you’ll be able to chat to and see how the artists produce their work, sign up for courses, participate in an art raffle fundraiser, listen to piano recitals from Steve Luck and much more. Northern Print (who just take part on the Sunday) will give the visitor a chance to look around their latest gallery exhibition, meet with their studio artists and try your hand at making your own print.
The Biscuit Factory is the UK’s largest independent commercial art, craft and design gallery, so a chance to go behind the scenes of their artist’s studios is a must. There will be workshops taking place from local artists such as painter Dan Cimmermann, ceramicist Laura Hancock, and papercutter Keely Pearce. At B.Box Artist Studios, the newest addition to The Biscuit Factory family, you’ll find a variety of creators, from painters to interior designers, and at The Biscuit Tin Studios their range of creators includes artists, print makers and musicians.
Plus, check out the five new studios at Mushroom Works and chat to their artists and designers; Testhouse 5’s residents will be exhibiting their work at the Byker venue; Jim Edwards Studio and Gallery in the heart of the Ouseburn sees the talented artist displaying his latest paintings, prints and greeting cards; and at Bottleworks, enjoy ExtraOrdinary art exhibition by Toucan Education – the art in this exhibition has been produced by children with dyslexia and Special Educational Needs.
As if that wasn’t enough, Skimstone Arts’ UNITY Festival takes place on Saturday 25th March at Ouseburn Community Centre, where there will be performances from local Afro-fusion collective Hannabiell and the Midnight Blue, rapper Kema Kay and Skimstone Arts’ very own Reality Boots. The festival also provides visitors with a chance to see percussion group Beat This!, created by Gateshead-based The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company which is run by and for people with learning difficulties.
Ouseburn Open Studios runs from 10am – 5pm on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th March and is free of charge.
