The Glasshouse and beyond: exploring music and culture in Newcastle and Gateshead

Since opening in 2004, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music has become a true symbol of Newcastle and Gateshead. The undulating glass-and-steel structure stands on the Tyne’s south bank, its silvery finish reflecting the sky and its sinuous curves calling to mind a windswept sail, or the arches of the river’s famous bridges.

The Glasshouse sits at the heart of a dazzling cultural scene. All year round, the city’s calendar is full of eclectic events, from ballet companies to opera singers, popstars and rock bands drawn to the area’s excellent venues. Here’s our short introduction to The Glasshouse, and the attractions you’ll find nearby.

The Glasshouse International Centre for Music

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the shimmering roof of The Glasshouse shelters three separate concert halls. Acoustics were front of mind during design and construction, with each of the venues – which don’t share any walls, to eliminate sound transfer – created with input from an acoustician.

Sage One has a capacity of around 1700. With a central seating area and three rows of balcony seating, the space feels like a clean, modern take on a classic concert hall. The waved walls, made from American Ash, and adjustable ceiling panels diffuse sound perfectly for orchestras like Royal Northern Sinfonia, which is based here.

Sage Two is a ten-sided performance space – quite possibly the world’s first – with seating for 330 over three levels, or 600 when standing. It’s an adaptable space, with performances held on stage or in the round, depending on the artist’s needs.

The smallest of the three venues is the Northern Rock Foundation Hall, which fits an audience of 200. As Royal Northern Sinfonia’s primary rehearsal space, it was designed to mimic Sage One’s acoustics, with its elegant wood-panelled walls and 10-metre-high ceiling. You can peer through the full-length windows from the concourse to observe rehearsals.

With a commitment to opening up music to everyone, programming is just as carefully considered and adaptable as the space itself. As well as Royal Northern Sinfonia – and RNS Moves, an ensemble made up of disabled musicians and non-disabled members of the home orchestra – The Glasshouse hosts visiting orchestras from the UK and overseas. The ambitious programming encompasses a wide range of repertoire, from major orchestral classics to film scores, contemporary music, and seasonal events.

Alongside Royal Northern Sinfonia and music director Dinis Sousa’s regular performances, this season sees visits from significant UK-based ensembles, including the London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras, Sinfonia of London, and appearances by soloists including Sir Bryn Terfel and Alexandre Kantorow. See our listings to view the season at a glance.

There’s plenty to enjoy beyond classical music, from contemporary musicians from around the world, to comedians and spoken-word events. With a pub, five bars, a café and a brasserie on site, you might want to visit The Glasshouse even if you’re not staying for a show. The building is free to enter, and has gorgeous views over the Tyne.

Gateshead beyond The Glasshouse

There are several other sights south of the Tyne worth visiting. While the area’s history stretches to before the Roman era, it’s during the Industrial Revolution that Gateshead began to grow rapidly. Over the 20th century the loss of industry hit hard, but around the Millennium an ambitious rejuvenation project brought new jobs and attractions to the area.

Start your explorations near The Glasshouse, at St Mary’s Heritage Centre. The 12th-century church, deconsecrated in 1979, is dramatically sited right by the southern end of the monumental Tyne Bridge. Today it hosts talks on the history of the church and Gateshead more broadly, plus graveyard tours.

From St Mary’s, walk east along the Quayside to admire the famous bridges and look up at the sparkling Glasshouse, before reaching the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. This fantastic free gallery is housed in a converted flour mill, and on top of four floors of art, it includes an excellent rooftop restaurant and two viewing decks. All three offer fantastic views of the river, and the eclectic tumble of Newcastle’s buildings beyond.

From there, you can continue east along the riverside, cross the elegant white curve of the Gateshead Millenium Bridge, or head further into Gateshead. Away from the river, don’t miss the Shipley Art Gallery, northeast England’s premier craft and design gallery – it’s particularly strong on ceramics. Just south of the Shipley is Saltwell Park, 55 acres of formal gardens, parkland and woodland centred on Saltwell Towers, a glorious Neo-Gothic mansion dating to 1859.

Further afield, at Gateshead’s southern edge, is a true icon: the Angel of the North. Sir Antony Gormley’s 20-metre steel-and-copper sculpture stands sentinel over the area. A serene, eye-catching figure from the road, it becomes truly awe-inspiring when viewed from its base, gazing up at its 54-metre wingspan.

Where to stay, eat and drink in Gateshead

Hilton Newcastle Gateshead has an unmatched location, right by the Tyne Bridge. Not only do the restaurant and half of the rooms have river views, so does the pool – drop by early to see the sunrise behind the bridges while you swim.

The nearby Railway Quarter has several charming, quirky places for an after-dinner drink. Head to the Wellington Street arches, close to the High Level Bridge, for bars and micropubs serving natural wines, french cheeses and real ales. Two legendary pubs are also in this area: The Central, in a beautiful Victorian building nicknamed ‘the coffin’ for its shape; and Station East, which serves a wide range of beers, ciders and snacks, and holds occasional live music nights.

In recent years, the Quayside area around the Swing and Tyne bridges has hosted a rotating cast of food and drink pop-ups, serving often inventive meals in the stunning location. It’s well worth keeping your eyes peeled as you’re strolling by the river, to see the latest residents.

Music and performing arts across the Tyne

Over the river, Newcastle is bursting with exciting attractions – starting with its own Quayside, with views of The Glasshouse and Baltic. A hub for the performing arts, it has a dizzying range of venues within a half-hour walk of The Glasshouse.

From Gateshead, cross the Swing Bridge or High Level Bridge for Newcastle Castle and St Nicholas Cathedral, which provide atmospheric settings for concerts. Head west from there for the Lit & Phil, a beautiful library dating back to 1825, where the programme of events includes lunchtime jazz and classical recitals.

Past the train station is an impressive concentration of venues, with three on Westgate Road alone: Newcastle Arts Centre and the linked Black Swan Bar, with frequent jazz shows; NX Newcastle, good for big-name pop and rock acts; and the Tyne Theatre & Opera House, a Grade I-listed building hosting everything from comedy to ballet. Also in this area are Boiler Shop, a converted 19th-century locomotive works with a varied programme, and Utilita Arena, which with a capacity of 11,000 is Newcastle’s biggest venue.

Further north, in the city centre, is the Theatre Royal. The golden building with its grand portico is part of the Neoclassical sweep of Grey Street, and puts on musicals, plays and ballets. Nearby, O2 City Hall Newcastle attracts a wide range of performers, from pop to folk acts.

Walk east along the Quayside for the Ouseburn, a pretty river valley which winds its way to the great Tyne. The area has become a creative hub in recent years, with converted industrial buildings sitting comfortably alongside new builds and long-standing local favourites. Working up from the Tyne, you’ll come first to the Tyne Bar, an independent pub well known for its free live music. After a pleasant waterside walk you’ll reach the Cluny, a legendary venue with a strong reputation for giving the most exciting emerging artists a stage.

Nearby are the Cumberland Arms, a pub with a long and proud tradition of live music, especially folk; Cobalt Studios, a cultural space focused on artist development where you can often catch boundary-pushing bands; and the community-run Star & Shadow, with a small venue space often turned over to live music.

Where to stay, eat and drink in Newcastle

Newcastle is one of northern England’s great food cities. The Quayside hosts a Sunday market with street food and snacks, and some of the city’s best high-end restaurants are in this area too. Many of them serve fantastic British cuisine that highlights local, seasonal produce, ranging from traditional interpretations (The Broad Chare pub) to inventive modern takes (Dobson & Parnell, Solstice). In Ouseburn, drop into local institution Di Meo’s for an indulgent Italian gelato, or linger over lovingly prepared modern cuisine in the much-lauded Cook House.

In the city centre, avoid the chains in favour of excellent home-grown options like Pizza Punks or Doughdaze for pizza, Fat Hippo for burgers, and Dabbawal and Dakwala for Mumbai-style Indian cuisine. If it’s a memorable setting you’re after, go for Blackfriars, a traditional British restaurant housed in a 13th-century Dominican friary. For variety, take your pick from the street-food eateries in the covered Grainger Market, or stop off at department store Fenwick’s food hall, restaurants and occasional dining pop-ups.

There are several hotels within walking distance of The Glasshouse. Hotel du Vin, Malmaison and the Dakota bring luxury to the Quayside, while the Vermont, Indigo and Royal Station hotels are ideally located for Newcastle Central station. Further from the centre is Jesmond Dene House, an independent hotel with a country-house feel overlooking a lush green river valley.

See listings of events at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music.

Tickets for Royal Northern Sinfonia concerts at The Glasshouse are £5 for ages 17 and under, and £10 for those under 30.

Web links
The Glasshouse International Centre for Music
^{Open certain Thurs, Fri, 4.30pm to c.11pm; Sat–Sun 8.45am to 11.30pm.}

Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
^{Open Weds–Sun, 10am to 6pm.}

St Mary’s Heritage Centre
^{Open Tues–Sat, 10am to 4pm.}

Shipley Art Gallery
^{Open Tues–Sat, 10am to 4pm.}

The Lit & Phil
^{Open Mon, Weds, Thurs 9.30am to 7pm; Tues to 8pm; Fri to 5pm; Sun to 1pm.} 

This article was sponsored by The Glasshouse International Centre for Music.