Sponsor the Lindisfarne Gospels exhibition

The Must-see event of 2022

Crop Incipit to Gospel of John, Lindisfarne Gospels, c. 700 (Cotton MS Nero D IV) (c) British Library Board

Image: Crop Incipit to Gospel of John, Lindisfarne Gospels, c. 700 (Cotton MS Nero D IV) (c) British Library Board

The Lindisfarne Gospels, the most spectacular surviving manuscript from Anglo-Saxon England, recounts the four gospels that tell the story of Jesus and his teachingsCreated on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, sometime between the death of the Northumbrian monk St Cuthbert in 687, for whom it was written, and that of its original scribe Eadfrith in 722, the book represents the golden age of design and craftsmanship in Northumbria and has survived in almost perfect condition for over one thousand years.  

It is one of the western world’s most important treasures created right here in the North East of England and in September 2022 it will return to engage the people who now live here and audiences from far and wide. 

It will go on display at the Laing Art Gallery, on loan from the British Library, in an exhibition at the heart of a programme of regional activity to celebrate its visit to Newcastle. 

Be a part of this major North East event

Lindisfarne Gospels sponsorship graphic

The Lindisfarne Gospels 2022 programme creates a genuine ‘moment’ for the North East, a unique opportunity to showcase the best of the region's cultural offerings.  It will be a must-see event, reaching audiences across the North East and beyond. The programme will seek to engage residents of the North East but also day visitors and tourists.

This is your opportunity to associate your brand with this major event for the North East and connect with a huge regional market. We are happy to tailor a sponsorship to your business' bespoke needs and we also have some ready-made sponsorship packages.

Sponsorship packages:

Holy Island Package - £500

• Ten exclusive Lindisfarne Gospels exhibition preview places including a light breakfast
 (tea, coffee, orange juice and pastries).
• An Exhibition tour with a specialist member of the Laing team.
• Limited edition memento exhibition postcard.
• Logo placement and weblink on the Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums website and a thank you in our supporter's email.
• A credit in our annual report.

Click here to submit your £500 pledge 

Download a pdf of the package


St Cuthbert Cycling Challenge – £1000 

Support Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Trustee, John Holmes to complete this Lindisfarne-inspired fundraising challenge. John will be cycling 540 miles, following the journey of St Cuthbert from Lindisfarne to the Laing Art Gallery, where the Lindisfarne Gospels, created in St Cuthbert's honour, will go on display this September.

This package includes:

• 15 exclusive Lindisfarne Gospels exhibition preview places.
• Commemorative exhibition poster.
• Logo placement and weblink on the Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums website and a thank you on social media.
• Sponsorship credit in e-communications to our 25,000-mailing list.
• Company branding on John’s cycling shirt. 

Contact: Nigel Alston-Phillips, nigel.alston-phillips@twmuseums.org.uk to find out more.

Donate to John Holme's JustGiving Page

Download a pdf of the package


Saint Cuthbert Package - £2,500

• Thirty exclusive Lindisfarne Gospels exhibition preview places at an early event with drinks and canapes.
• An Art Curator led exhibition tour.
• Limited edition exhibition poster signed by a high-profile contemporary artist.
• Logo placement and weblink on the Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums website and a thank you in our supporter's email, and on social media.
• A special mention in our annual report.
• Sponsorship spotlight mention in e-communications to our 25,000 mailing list.

Click here to submit your £2,500 pledge 

Download a pdf of the package


The Lindisfarne Gospels Package - £5,000

• Forty exclusive Lindisfarne Gospels exhibition preview places at an evening event with drinks and canapes.
• An Art Curator led exhibition tour.
• Limited edition exhibition poster signed by a high-profile contemporary artist.
• Logo placement and weblink on the Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums website and a thank you in our  supporter's email, and on social media.
• Sponsorship spotlight mention in e-communications to our 25,000-mailing list
• Enhanced profile credit in our annual report.
• Exclusive supporting sponsor text credit placement within the exhibition space. 

Click here to submit your £5,000 pledge 

Download a pdf of the package


Contact: Nigel Alston-Phillips, nigel.alston-phillips@twmuseums.org.uk to find out more.Download our business partners brochure

The Lindisfarne Gospels 2022 programme

Lindisfarne Gospel Matthew Evangelist portrait
Matthew Evangelist portrait, Lindisfarne Gospels, c. 700 (Cotton MS Nero D IV) (c) British Library Board

The Exhibition - the Laing Art Gallery

17 September - 3 December 2022

The Lindisfarne Gospels will take centre stage in a high-profile exhibition at the Laing Art Gallery – over 20 years since the Gospels last visited Newcastle.  

The exhibition will explore how the Gospel book helped redefine the identity of its community in a divided Anglo-Saxon society. It will ask important questions about what significance that might have in 21st century Britain - about identity, creativity, learning and sense of place. 

At the heart of our engagement programme, an internationally recognised artist or artists will reimagine the Gospels for 21st century audiences. 

Supporting exhibition - Newcastle City Library

The size, dedication and format of the Gospels suggest that it was intended for public consumption, rather than private study. The library will stage a complementary exhibition exploring the changing way people have shared stories since the creation of the Lindisfarne Gospels in the eighth century to the modern day, using artefacts from the Newcastle Libraries Heritage collection and special loans from the British Library.

Regional Programme

A vibrant engagement programme will introduce new, diverse audiences to the Gospels and give thousands of people the opportunity to participate in this regional celebration.  

Libraries across the region will work together to deliver a programme of community-based activities capturing the story of our region in 2022. This will use traditional methods of writing and book production alongside vlogs, braille, sound and more. Work produced will be captured and passed on to other group or schools, so that the ideas go on a journey, spreading the work and building momentum. 

Schools Programme

schools programme will introduce a new, younger generation to the Gospels,  making it relevant to their lives now and asking them, what is your message for humanity?  

Schools across the region will have a menu of creative workshops exploring themes of tourism, migration, war, isolation, travel, pilgrimage, ritual and journey. Sessions with creative practitioners will also ask children and young people to consider who our contemporary inspirational leaders and icons are?  They will add to the historical record by writing/drawing/recording their own messages for future humanity, sharing their achievements and setting challenges for the future.   

Community Programme

Focussed activity will be developed with marginalised groups including refugees and asylum seekers and vulnerable adults including those at risk of living in isolation or mental ill-health. Using the Gospels as a catalyst for dialogue and debate, the programme will lead to creative arts-based outcomes displayed in schools, community halls or public spaces.   

Volunteering 

A team of volunteers, of all backgrounds and abilities, will be offered training and opportunities to experience a range of roles from providing guided tours and facilitating creative workshopsto carrying out research and supporting exhibition invigilation.  

Young People - #futurethinkers 

Some of the most in need young people in the North East will be invited to be part of a youth programme working with a specialised youth organisation, such as Young Women’s Film Academy. The young people will use the Gospels to explore issues important to themto give them a voice and platform to be heard. We will share their responses on social media using the hashtag #futurethinkers. 

Inspired by programme

A series of ‘inspired by’ events will also be hosted independently by organisations across the region throughout 2022. Find our more about the Inspired by programme.

We'd love to talk to you

Get in touch to talk to us about how we can create a bespoke sponsorship package for your business.

Contact: Nigel Alston-Philips nigel.alston-phillips@twmuseums.org.uk