The Late Shows 10
Friday 13 and Saturday 14 May 2016, 7pm until late
Over 60 participating venues across Newcastle and Gateshead
The Late Shows – supported by Port of Tyne – will return for its tenth anniversary edition on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 May 2016, with over 60 culture and heritage organisations across Tyneside signed up to join the party.
The annual free festival is the largest and longest running regional Museums at Night event in the UK and has become a staple of the North East’s cultural calendar over the past decade.
During The Late Shows, museums, galleries, studios, creative workshops and landmark historical buildings in Newcastle and Gateshead open their doors after hours to offer the public workshops, performances, art installations and behind-the-scenes tours.
Festivalgoers are encouraged to embrace the idea of the ‘culture crawl’ and sample as many attractions as possible, with free sightseeing buses provided to help visitors move around.
Bill Griffiths, Head of Programmes at Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and Project Manager of The Late Shows, said:
“At the first Late Shows in 2007, 14 venues took part and attracted 4,000 visits. That felt like a huge success but we’ve continued to grow ever since.
“Now we have over 60 venues that make the event so special and attract nearly 35,000 visits between them. When we started we had no idea how big this would become.
“I’m so proud that The Late Shows has reached its tenth anniversary; it’s a great achievement for the area, particularly in the current climate, and shows the incredible thirst people here have for great culture.”
Andrew Moffat, Chief Executive of the Port of Tyne, added:
“The Port of Tyne is pleased to be able to support Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums for the tenth edition of The Late Shows.
“The Port of Tyne’s Swing Bridge will once again be a focal point of an exciting and varied programme of events that showcases Tyneside’s tremendous cultural offer and hidden gems.”
Over the past ten years, The Late Shows has promoted the scale and diversity of the arts and heritage offer across Newcastle and Gateshead.
Visitors from far and wide have had the chance to see Tyneside icons such as Newcastle Castle, the Swing Bridge and the Victoria Tunnel in a completely different light.
The Late Shows has also championed excellent art by providing a platform for local creatives and offering commissions and residencies to numerous artists.
No two editions of The Late Shows are ever quite the same and 2016’s anniversary line-up promises yet another stellar weekend of culture in Newcastle and Gateshead.
Full line-up details for The Late Shows 10 are set to be released shortly to coincide with the launch of a new and improved Late Shows website: www.thelateshows.org.uk
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