October 2010
All events for this month
- Show all 50
- Exhibitions 14
- Events 36
- Kids 28
Exhibition
Treasures from the Shipley Art Gallery
The Shipley's superb painting collection includes works from the 16th to the 20th centuries and features landscapes, seascapes, portraits and religious subjects.
18 Feb - 7 Nov 10.
Exhibition
Building Bridges
This exhibition celebrates the bridges of the Tyne, through photography, art and storytelling, from the first known bridge to cross the Tyne (in around AD122), to Bambuco's temporary bamboo bridge which was built in 2008.
Fascinating images show the construction of the Tyne Bridge, and visitors can also find out about the design and construction of the Swing Bridge, by Sir WG Armstrong and Company Limited (click here to find out about Discovery Museum's exhibition about Armstrong).
The exhibition contains many fascinating true stories relating to the Tyne and its bridges:
A Baby has a Miraculous Escape
At about 2am on Sunday 17 November 1771, the residents of Newcastle and Gateshead were woken from their sleep by an extremely loud noise.
Following a week of continuous heavy rain the level of the river had risen to four metres above the high tide mark. The flood was sudden and rapid. As the river rose, the arches of the medieval Tyne Bridge
filled with water and then began to crack.
The bridge was covered in buildings, both houses and shops. A Mr Fiddas, who lived on the bridge, opened his window at 4am to see the arch next to his house come crashing down, revealing a rushing torrent
beneath him. He, his wife, children and maid fled for their lives, the pavement beneath their feet crumbling into the swollen waters. The maid, realising she had left a bundle behind, begged her master to be
allowed to return to the house. Mrs Fiddas watched them turn back. As she did so, the arch beneath the two gave way and they vanished into the waters, never to be seen again. A further six residents died in similar circumstances.
Many more lost their homes and businesses as the arches collapsed. Mr Patten the cloth merchant, Mr Hills a shoemaker, Mrs Haswell the milliner, Mr James the cheesemonger and Mr Byerly the hardware man, along with their families and servants, were amongst those who lost everything.
Peter Weatherly, a shoemaker, his family and servants had a lucky escape. As they left their home, the bridge collapsed on both sides of them. They were trapped for eight hours on a small area of bridge
no more than two metres square. The rushing torrent prevented their rescue by boat. A brickmaker, George Woodward, made a daring rescue with a system of ropes and pulleys and saved their lives.
The following day, a ship at sea picked up a wooden cradle. Inside it was a baby, alive and well!
To read more about Building Bridges, click here.
12 Jun 10 - 30 Jan 11.
Exhibition
Craftivism: Objects to Change the World
Craft is back and this time it’s political. Craftivism (craft + activism) explores craft as a force for change and as part of a radical tradition stretching back to William Morris and beyond. This brand new exhibition also includes work by contemporary craftspeople, such as Grayson Perry, who challenge the way we live, and invites you to DIY and learn craft-based skills.
10 Jul - 7 Nov 10.
Exhibition
William Armstrong - A Spark of Inspiration
To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Tyneside industrialist and inventor Lord William Armstrong, this new exhibition will track Armstrong’s life and achievements.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1810, Armstrong was the inventor of the hydraulic crane as well as being an early advocate of renewable energy. A number of his other inventions, including the Armstrong gun, can also be seen at Discovery Museum.
There are a range of free events at Discovery to accompany this exhibition:
Tuesday 28 September, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Book launch and discussion with author Henrietta Heald
and Dr Penny Smith, Principal Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Northumbria. To book a free place please email: susie.kennedy@twmuseums.org.uk
William Armstrong: Hydraulic Engineer
Tuesday 5 October, 6.00pm
Discover what we can learn today from Armstrong’s water powered machines, with Robin Wright of the National Trust at Cragside. No booking required
Armstrong and Innovation: Electricity from Sunlight Today
Tuesday 23 November, 6.30pm
Explore the history and the future of solar electricity with Professor Nicola Pearsall of Northumbria University. To book a free place please
email: linda.grogan@twmuseums.org.uk
Click here to find out more about Armstrong, and more events around the region.
You can find out more about Armstrong's design and construction of Newcastle's Swing Bridge in Discovery Museum's Building Bridges exhibition - click here for more details.
The William Armstrong: Magician of the North book is also available to buy from our online shop.
10 Jul 10 - 16 Jan 11.
Exhibition
Vision & Imagination
What is British art?
What does 'British' mean to me?
Who owns all the paintings in our local galleries?
If I make art, am I a British artist?
The Great British Art Debate asks all these questions and more. It's not about giving you all the answers but asking you to share your opinions on British art and what it means to you.
A major new exhibition of rarely-seen British watercolours by artists including William Blake, JMW Turner and William Morris and featuring loans from Tate Britain and other partners.
The paintings on show will range from 18th century landscapes, through 19th century pre-Raphaelite paintings, to surrealist works of the 20th century.
Vision & Imagination is the first major exhibition at the Laing Art Gallery as part of the Great British Art Debate, a series of events and exhibitions bringing art from national collections, including Tate, to the regions.
This exhibition will be followed in 2011 by a new exhibition of works by artist John Martin, whose dramatic views and apocalyptic paintings held 19th century audiences captivated.
The Great British Art Debate is a partnership project between TATE Britain, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service, Museums Sheffield and InIVA. The Great British Art Debate is supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund, and by Renaissance - museums for changing lives.
If you have visited this exhibition at the Laing Art Gallery, please take a few minutes to complete our online survey - click here to take part. Thank you.
18 Sep - 5 Dec 10.
Exhibition
Hugh Stoneman: Master Printer - The Art Fund Archive
Hugh Stoneman: Master Printer - The Art Fund Archive
Hugh Stoneman (1947-2005) was one of the most significant printmakers of the second half of the twentieth century. Based in London and later in Cornwall, his skills were sought out by major contemporary artists from all over the world. In 2008, The Art Fund purchased an important archive of ninety-nine of his prints, now owned by Falmouth Art Gallery and featuring works by many of the artists with whom Stoneman collaborated including Terry Frost, Sandra Blow, Gary Hume, Hamish Fulton, John Hoyland, Barbara Hepworth, Alan Davie and Linda McCartney.
23 Sep - 20 Nov 10.
Exhibition
Laura Lancaster
To complement the Vision & Imagination exhibition, Newcastle-based artist Laura Lancaster is showing new works using watercolour. Lancaster's work is based on photographs of strangers, found in charity shops, junk shops or in the street.
24 Sep 10 - 5 Jan 11.
Exhibition
Beadwork from South Africa
This display contains a collection of beadwork produced through a project between Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and Gateshead Young Women’s Outreach.
A partnership project incorporating Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, South Africa and Stories of the World, part of London 2012 Cultural Olympiad programme.
This event supports Black History Month.
1 Oct - 31 Oct 10.
Exhibition
Changing Perspectives
This exhibition records the experiences of people of African-Caribbean descent who have chosen to make their home in the North East.
2 Oct - 31 Oct 10.
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