Whether it’s the place you hear your favourite artist or where you join a band. Whether it’s the place you hear the North East’s orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia and meet up with friends, or where you develop your artistic career. Sage Gateshead is here for audiences, artists, music makers, families – anyone who enjoys or wants to explore music.
Throughout the pandemic and thanks to support from its 2020-23 Crisis, Recovery and Renaissance fundraising campaign and the government’s Culture Recovery Fund, Sage Gateshead has offered live streams from Sage One to living rooms and brought together people for lessons and choirs online.
Over one million people engaged with its Digital Stage; hundreds of school children, young musicians and adults took part in virtual classes and the organisation supported nearly 200 artists through socially-distanced performance opportunities, virtual artist residencies, networking, well-being and health sessions.
In addition to ongoing online activities, everybody can now return to make music together in person, to have a great night out, to sing their heart out or to have family fun at their music hub in the North East, Sage Gateshead.
The new season starts in September, and while the venue welcomes everyone back through its doors, the safety of its audiences, artists and staff remains its top priority with measures in place to ensure everyone is safe.
There is a range of exciting gigs on sale including John Grant, Billy Bragg, Madeleine Peyroux and Anna Meredith.
Sage Gateshead is also hosting a free surround sound screening of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s music film, IMAGINE on 9 September, the 50th anniversary of the album’s release.
Sage Gateshead’s resident orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia embarks on a new era with the appointment of their new leader, violinist Maria Włoszczowska, and newly appointed Principal Conductor Dinis Sousa.
From well-known symphonies to exciting new commissions, piano music for the soul and pieces to get people dancing, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in Royal Northern Sinfonia’s Sage Classics season. The first concert of the season opens with a new music and film commission that takes the experience of the local community during the pandemic as its creative spur.
Sage Gateshead will continue to build on its popular live streamed concert series with three Royal Northern Sinfonia concerts this autumn, streaming world-class music to be enjoyed from the comfort of home.
Make Music classes and workshops are also back for the autumn term. The weekly classes offer something for everyone – from guitar and ukulele to pop and choral singing, and fun sessions for early years. Virtual classes will also continue ensuring people can benefit from online music-making where preferred.
Finally, the autumn marks the return of Sage Gateshead’s Young Musicians Programme, and the start of new artist residencies at Sage Gateshead.
Return to Sage Gateshead this autumn for unforgettable live music and music-making.
All this takes place to the backdrop of an ongoing financial challenge. Due to the Covid-19 crisis, the venue has largely been closed since March 2020, with 80% of its income affected. This year, its income is set to be half of that in a pre-Covid year. The charity again needs to raise £1m this year and £1m next year to secure its future, rebuild live music in the region and ensure music is part of everybody’s recovery.
Abigail Pogson, Managing Director of Sage Gateshead said: “We are thrilled to be announcing a new season of live music and music-making at Sage Gateshead this autumn and we can’t wait to welcome audiences and artists. We’ve been working hard to ensure that everyone can feel safe when they visit so that they can focus on enjoying great music and having a brilliant time. Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the last 18 months – to those who have purchased a live streamed ticket or made a donation to our fundraising campaign – we would not be where we are today without your support. We are very grateful for your ongoing and vital support.”