Music, markets, more at Baltic/Glasshouse block party
And the fun starts Saturday
Those twin cultural landmarks, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, are joining forces for a Baltic x Glasshouse Summer Block Party.
A day of activities is planned for July 4, with the action spilling onto the quayside and including live music, talks, tours, creative markets and drop-in sessions – and beginning with the opening of Baltic’s two next big exhibitions.
The new Level 3 attraction is to be Tish Murtha & Kuba Ryniewicz: Close to Home, featuring work by the late documentary photographer alongside that of the Newcastle-based photographer whose work has graced high profile magazines.
Both rooted in the North East, their professional output seems to occupy different realms.
Tish (1956 to 2013) was born in South Shields and fell into photography by accident after finding a discarded camera in a condemned house in Newcastle’s West End.
She is best remembered for documenting Elswick and its people, producing photographs which, say Baltic, “capture the social impact of industrial decline with honesty, empathy and urgency, offering a powerful account of working class life in the North East”.
Her work appeared on People Watching, the Mercury Prize-winning album by Sam Fender, and 50 people will have the chance to attend Lens to Lyrics: Sam Fender x Tish Murtha, an “immersive album listening party” starting at 12 noon and with afternoon tea and a tour of the exhibition led by Baltic curators Niomi Fairweather and Rose McMurray.
Tickets, at £35, can be booked here from Friday, April 24.
Opening on Level 4, meanwhile, will be Journey to the Great Below, by Brooklyn-based artist Chitra Ganesh, featuring newly commissioned sculptural works, a new animation and a wall drawing.
“Ganesh’s work,” say Baltic, “creates richly layered worlds that probe epic myths and historical narratives to offer speculative visions of society.”
At 4pm, the artist, in company with Baltic’s senior curator, Emma Dean, will lead a tour of the exhibition. It’s free but places can be booked here.
As well as looking and listening, it promises to be a day for browsing and buying.
The popular Art Car Boot Fair will be back in the Baltic carpark (11am to 5pm) with more than 50 stallholders and DJs from Deja Brew providing a chill soundtrack.
Meanwhile at The Glasshouse (11am to 3pm) there will be a Makers Market with DJ sets from Liam West and Omar (founder of the Zeytoun Arts Collective) and refreshments from the likes of The Greekster, Hizzy Pizza and Wylam Brewery.
Any seller of music and vinyl, vintage clothing, music-themed merchandise or other art product who wants to take a stall should apply via here before May 2.
Between 1pm and 2.30pm those busy folk at Foundation Press, whose exhibition has just opened on Baltic’s ground floor, will be inviting visitors to contribute to a collective alphabet collage.
The Baltic Library will also be a hive of activity with Sarah Li, musician, composer and artist, opening the doors to the Queer Pleasure Archive at 10am, offering a look at the library collection from a queer perspective.
Then at 2pm, as part of the Opening ‘Chaos’ Party, there will be a pop-up performance from the DGA (that’s Drag King/Gender-chaos/Alternative Drag) collective. Pre-booking required at www.baltic.art
Baltic’s rooftop Level 6 will become a cocktail lounge from 3pm to 10pm and in the shop you’ll find Weezy Pop, a jewellery brand founded in 2024 by Lou Cowley.
The fun continues into the evening as Baltic hosts its Summer Preview Party from 5.40pm, with food and drink in Baltic Riverside and a Dhol (drumming) performance on Baltic Square presented in collaboration with GemArts.
There will be music until midnight but early birds might get a limited edition Full Circle lager featuring artwork by Tish Murtha, Kuba Ryniewicz or Chitra Ganesh.
Tickets for the Summer Preview Party can be booked from Friday, May 1 at baltic.art/tickets
For more information, visit baltic.art and theglasshouse.org.
Meanwhile, this Saturday (April 25, 12 noon to 4pm) Baltic has teamed up with North East refugee organisation Integration Station to host a new Green Community Market.
More than 20 stallholders will be selling crafts including crochet work, upcycled clothing, leather bags, wood carvings, jewellery, hand-made candles, Baltic honey, plants and ceramics.
There will be workshops and demonstrations, Sri Lankan and Lebanese food, music by a Zimbabwean community group and an Eritrean coffee ceremony.
Entry is free.