Sting brings it home with intimate performance at BALTIC fundraiser
The North East musician has joined forces with Gateshead gallery to help secure its future
While Björn Again were filling The Glasshouse next door with Abba hits, another kind of revival was taking place on Gateshead Quayside on Thursday night - as Sting returned home to help launch BALTIC’s ambitious £10 million Endowment Fund campaign.
The North East music legend delivered an intimate live performance at the Centre for Contemporary Art, headlining the gallery’s first Endowment fundraising gala and marking the start of a major new chapter for the landmark cultural venue.
The 17-time Grammy Award-winner, who made a personal donation to the fund earlier this year, took to the stage alongside longtime collaborator Dominic Miller for a performance which had undoubtedly contributed to a packed audience, which included well known faces Alan Shearer, Jimmy Nail and Jim Moir (Vic Reeves).
Fellow North East musician Nadine Shah also performed, while auctioneers Anderson & Garland led a live auction of artworks and experiences donated by world-renowned artists Damien Hirst, Anish Kapoor and Cornelia Parker.
Among the night’s most sought-after prizes was a week’s stay at Villa Il Palagio, Sting and his wife Trudie Styler’s private home in Tuscany.
Reflecting on his connection to BALTIC, Sting said: “When I was a kid my Dad used to bring me down to the quayside on a Sunday morning and I’d look at this building and wonder what it was. Never did I imagine it would become an amazing art gallery, or that I would have the opportunity to support it.
“We are a nation of storytellers; the world loves our songs, our plays, our dramas, our art. If we lose cultural venues due to a lack of funding, the entire industry disappears, so I’m here to say we have to protect Baltic.
“I get a warm glow every time I come back here. It feels like home. It feels like I belong. That’s rooted in a feeling of profound gratitude for the community that made who I am.”
Guests were treated to a Michelin-accredited dining experience by SIX Rooftop, the gallery’s top-floor restaurant, which created a bespoke seasonal menu for the occasion.
Sarah Munro, director of BALTIC, said: “It’s been 23 years since Baltic first opened its doors to the public and in that time we’ve experienced a lot of change.
“We, along with lots of other regional museums and galleries, are seeking alternative models of support to sustain our programmes, infrastructure, and the valuable work we do in the community.
“The Gala was the first step in our campaign to create a £10 million Endowment Fund for Baltic that will allow us to continue platforming artists, connecting communities and inspiring children and young people across our region and beyond. The evening was a poignant reminder to everyone in the room of the power of arts, culture and creativity.”
“We are a nation of storytellers; the world loves our songs, our plays, our dramas, our art. If we lose cultural venues due to a lack of funding, the entire industry disappears, so I’m here to say we have to protect Baltic.”
Sting
The most visited free cultural venue in the North East, welcoming its 10 millionth visitor earlier this year, BALTIC will use the Endowment to safeguard free entry, invest in children’s programmes, preserve its iconic building and support community wellbeing projects like The Front Room, its free community space addressing food insecurity and social isolation.
For more information about the Endowment Fund, visit baltic.art.