- Now in its fourth year, the partnership between BBC Proms and The Glasshouse has grown into a regional festival rooted in place and nationally significant.
- This year sees The Glasshouse become the first BBC Proms venue outside of London to host TV broadcasts – a historic first for the BBC Proms.
- Last year, over 5,000 people attended live BBC Proms concerts in Gateshead, among them, 3,500 experienced the BBC Proms for the very first time.
- The Proms weekend is a major cultural moment for Newcastle Gateshead, positioning it as one of the UK’s most exciting music destinations, building on the momentum of recent milestones such as its status as a Music City, the MOBO Awards, and newly announced host for the Mercury Prize.
- Recent UK Music data showed that music tourism to the North East rose by 29% in 2023 – and events including BBC Proms helping to drive that further. With The Glasshouse at the helm, the North East is on the rise.
- The long weekend includes a major homecoming collaboration between JADE and Royal Northern Sinfonia with Robert Ames, Dinis Sousa at the helm of Mendelssohn’s major choral symphony Lobgesang, and a special edition of the nightly Radio 3 jazz programme ’Round Midnight with Soweto Kinch, from The Fire Station in Sunderland.
- Tickets for the BBC Proms at The Glasshouse are on sale now. Tickets for JADE’s one-night-only orchestral collaboration with Royal Northern Sinfonia go on sale on Wednesday 28 May at 12 noon.
Nestled on the banks of the Tyne in the North East of England, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music hosted its first BBC Prom in 2022 – the beginning of a partnership that’s grown into a major regional moment.
Over four years the partnership between The Glasshouse and the BBC Proms has gone from strength to strength. There is now a Proms Bristol residency in partnership with the Bristol Beacon, and other Proms concerts across the UK in 2025 include 100 Years of The Shipping Forecast in Belfast and Angélique Kidjo’s African Symphony in Bradford, as part of UK City of Culture 2025.
This year, the fourth of the partnership, sees The Glasshouse in Gateshead host the first live TV broadcast of a Prom outside the Royal Albert Hall – a milestone moment – in what has become a fully-fledged regional festival. BBC Radio 3 will also broadcast from Gateshead and Sunderland across the weekend, bringing the North East’s vibrant cultural scene to national and international audiences.
Running from Thursday 24 to Sunday 27 July, the weekend sees The Glasshouse transformed into a festival hub, with symphonic works, exciting collaborations and joyful family performances. The programme is firmly rooted in place, showcasing the diverse and stunning talents of musicians in the North East, and with national significance.
Promming tickets remain at £8. Last year, over 5,000 people attended live concerts in Gateshead, with hundreds more enjoying the free performances on the concourse. Among them, 3,500 experienced the BBC Proms for the very first time. Thousands more tuned in to national broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 through the weekend which featured 250 musicians, with over half of them from the North East.
The Proms weekend is a major cultural moment for Newcastle Gateshead, positioning it as one of the UK’s most exciting music destinations. It builds on the momentum of recent milestones – from the MOBO Awards coming to the region earlier this year to Newcastle newly announced as host for the Mercury Prize, and stars like JADE and Sam Fender (soon to headline two sold-out NUFC stadium gigs).
Sport and music are central to the North East’s identity – and with artists like Sam and JADE proudly repping the region nationally, this moment shines a spotlight on what the region has to offer.
Recent UK Music data showed that music tourism to the North East rose by 29% in 2023 – and events like this are helping to drive that further. With The Glasshouse at the helm, the Proms weekend reflects a region on the rise.
Abigail Pogson, Chief Executive Officer at The Glasshouse said: In our 20th year, this Proms weekend feels like a real milestone – not just for The Glasshouse, but for what partnerships like this can achieve. The BBC Proms in Gateshead and Sunderland has become a national platform for talent and creativity from this region. From late-night jazz in Sunderland to a brand-new orchestral collaboration broadcast on national TV, it shows how ambitious programming rooted in place can reach new audiences and open up classical music to more people. We’re proud to be leading that work, together with the BBC Proms, here in the North East.”
Hannah Donat, Director of Artistic Planning, BBC Proms said: “The BBC Proms is committed to sharing outstanding music with audiences across the UK, and our partnership with The Glasshouse continues to lead the way. What’s happening in the North East is remarkable – bold programming, deep local roots, and a commitment to innovation. This year’s Proms demonstrates how regional festivals can deliver national impact.”
BBC Proms in the North East line up:
This year’s programme – as always – has Royal Northern Sinfonia at the heart of it, leading large-scale concerts and new cross-genre work that demonstrates the range and creative possibilities of orchestral music today.
Thursday 24 July – Sunderland (The Fire Station):
The festival begins in Sunderland with a special edition of the nightly Radio 3 jazz programme ‘Round Midnight with Soweto Kinch. He is joined by an eclectic mix of special guests, including fearless jazz trumpeter Theo Croker and the boundary-pushing Joe Webb Trio. This exciting Prom celebrates some of the best jazz from all eras and corners of the globe, as well as shining a spotlight on the talents of new UK jazz artists. Support comes from North East jazz artist Rivkala, who was named one of BBC Introducing’s ones to watch for 2025. This concert will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Friday 25 July.
Friday 25 July – The Glasshouse:
Royal Northern Sinfonia and Brit Awards Pop Act of the Year winner JADE join forces for an innovative orchestral concert, with arrangements by Robert Ames. This concert will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and will be broadcast on TV at a later date.
Saturday 26 July – The Glasshouse:
Singer-songwriter Angeline Morrison brings her beautiful arrangements of folk songs of the Black British experience in The Sorrow Songs joined by The Sorrow Songs Band. Special guests include English folk legend Eliza Carthy and percussionist Alex Neilson (broadcast live on BBC Radio 3).
Later that evening, acclaimed Music Director Dinis Sousa leads Royal Northern Sinfonia and a fantastic line up of soloists in the vast and bold Hymn of Praise Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang. The choral-symphonic work draws on passages from the Bible and the thoughts of Martin Luther to create what was posthumously declared Mendelssohn’s second symphony. The massed voices of the Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia, Voices of the River’s Edge and Huddersfield Choral Society join the orchestra, Sousa and pianist David Fray, mezzo-soprano Adèle Charvet and tenor Benjamin Hulett for this performance, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and shown at a future date on TV.
Sunday 27 July – The Glasshouse:
The final day of the weekend welcomes younger families to not one but two performances of the CBeebies Prom: Wildlife Jamboree. Join Duggee, the Squirrels and a host of CBeebies friends as they team up with Royal Northern Sinfonia for a joyful, nature-inspired musical adventure. Hosted by CBeebies presenters Chantelle Lindsay and Puja Panchkoty, this is a chance to sing, dance, wiggle and giggle along to favourite theme tunes and animal-themed classics – from Lovely Day to The Four Seasons.
On Sunday afternoon, the festival closes with an imaginative performance from guitarist Sean Shibe and friends. Celebrating the centenary of Pierre Boulez’s birth, the programme features a performance of his acclaimed surrealist work, Le marteau sans maître, Cassandra Miller’s Bel canto and the world premiere of a BBC co-commission from Tyshawn Sorey.
Beyond the main stages, the Concourse stage returns with BBC Introducing across contemporary and classical styles, bringing free live music to audiences.
There will also be a BBC Young Composer workshop in collaboration with BBC Introducing on Saturday 26 July, where under-18s can apply to take part in a composition workshop to develop their music with professional artists. For further information, visit bbc.co.uk/youngcomposer