The City is Our Playground: NOVUM summer festival returns across Friday 7 to Sunday 9 August

This Summer, Newcastle city centre will transform into a bold, joyful playground of creative fun, performance, music and people-powered, large-scale outdoor spectacle as NOVUM Summer Festival returns for three packed days of celebration.

From Friday 7 to Sunday 9 August, streets, squares, venues and the most unexpected corners of the city will burst into life with a free, family-friendly programme designed to surprise, entertain and bring people together.

NOVUM 2026 promises:

• A major headline moment: a monumental, participatory artwork spanning the city centre
• Free performances, live music and engaging walkabout acts across Newcastle
• A drop-in Creative Family Zone packed with hands-on activities for children, young people, families and communities
• Large-scale outdoor spectacles from national and international artists
• Playful installations and pop-up “you just had to be there” moments
• Events in unusual and unexpected spaces
• A Volunteer Programme offering skills-building and hands-on event experience
• Pre-festival creative workshops delivered by artists across all 26 Newcastle wards, working with community groups and at local events
• Paid opportunities and commissions for North East artists, freelancers and creative organisations

From the unexpected to the unforgettable, NOVUM will invite residents, workers and visitors to experience Newcastle in new and imaginative ways – and to feel part of something creative happening in the heart of their city.

Cllr Abdul Samad, Cabinet Member for Culture, Music and Arts at Newcastle City Council, said: “I’m delighted that Newcastle will be welcoming back NOVUM this summer, bringing a fun, lively and accessible cultural event for both local people and visitors to enjoy.

“Newcastle’s creative sector is growing rapidly, with the council’s ambitious ten-year cultural events programme playing a key role in driving that momentum. The sector is making an increasingly important contribution to the city’s economy while also providing a valuable platform for local artists and creatives to share their work with wider audiences.

“NOVUM is a fantastic example of how cultural events can animate our city, celebrate local talent and give people new and exciting reasons to experience Newcastle.”

Ben Whitfield, Director of Communications at NE1 said: “We are thrilled to see NOVUM return to Newcastle City centre, adding an interesting and creative festival to the city’s packed summer calendar of free, family-friendly things to do. Events give people more reasons to visit the city and to keep coming back throughout this key time of the year.  We can’t wait to see what the festival has in store and we’re sure people will love it.”

Samantha Rickleton, North East Family Fun said: “I’m really looking forward to NOVUM this summer. It’s fantastic to see Newcastle City Council investing in fun, free creative experiences that families can enjoy together.

I’m especially excited about the Creative Zone outside the Newcastle Civic Centre — I’ve no doubt it’ll have a brilliant, super-friendly and inclusive atmosphere with loads to get stuck into.”

After two pilot years delivered by Curated Place, NOVUM paused in 2024. The festival now enters an exciting new chapter, delivered and programmed by Newcastle City Council’s newly formed Cultural Events Team. It forms part of the Council’s ambitious 10-year cultural events programme, with NOVUM positioned as one of several anchor annual festivals designed to animate the city centre and strengthen Newcastle’s cultural identity.

For 2026, NOVUM’s look and feel is evolving – bolder, more playful, colourful and riotously inclusive, shaped by audience feedback and learning from previous editions. The team is currently working with Gateshead-based OGRE Studio on a new festival brand and Newcastle-based Vida Creative on a new website, both launching later this spring.

Looking ahead, the ambition is clear: to grow NOVUM from a three-day city-centre takeover into a 10-day, city-wide celebration in the years to come – establishing it as a must-visit highlight in the North East’s cultural calendar.

But for this summer, Newcastle is invited to be playful. Culture and creativity will be everywhere for three days – in our city centre streets, shared spaces and venues!

For now, Save the dates: 7–9 August 2026. NOVUM Summer Festival programme teasers, artist announcements, refreshed brand and new website will launch from April onwards.

The city is our playground. Let’s explore it together.