Newcastle’s The Late Shows is an award-winning, late-night, free culture crawl.
Launched in 2007, it has grown significantly over the past eighteen years. In its first year, just 14 venues took part; by 2024, that number had risen to 63. The event now attracts between 20,000 and 30,000 visits from people of all ages and backgrounds. Its main objective is to encourage people to visit cultural venues they may not have explored before, share audiences across different spaces, and deliver a programme that appeals especially to younger visitors.
Over the course of two nights – Friday 16th and Saturday 17th May – open art studios, music and performance venues, galleries, museums, studio collectives and landmark historical buildings unite to host intriguing, interactive events. The goal is simple: to encourage people to do something cultural with their evening.
Friday night focuses on venues in the Ouseburn Valley, open from 6–10:30pm (last entry 10:00pm). Visitors can stop by Flea Circus on Warwick Street to create props for the ultimate photo booth experience. At the Star and Shadow Cinema, volunteers will host printmaking and zine-making sessions, alongside film shorts screening throughout the night. The Biscuit Factory presents the opening night of Nighthawks, an exhibition by comedian, actor and artist Jim Moir (aka Vic Reeves), showcasing bird paintings and his surrealist take on modern popular culture. Other participating venues include Northumbria University’s School of Design, Cobalt Studios, Northern Print and Ouseburn Farm.
Saturday night’s events take place across central Newcastle (6–10:30pm) and Gateshead (6–10pm, last entry 9:30pm).
Gateshead highlights include a pop-up open mic night hosted by performer and spoken word artist Mwelwa Chilekwa at Station East (Hills Street); a courtyard takeover by Atlas North East at Orbis Community and Open Studio (High Street); and live music, crafting, and a café at St Mary’s Heritage Centre. There, visitors can also join Dr Katie Liddane for a quirky mini-tour exploring the weird history of Gateshead’s churchyard.
In central Newcastle and along the Quayside, venues include The Common Room (art, LEGO and live music), The Discovery Museum (with a Silent Discovery Disco), Live Theatre (open mic night), and Tyneside Cinema, where visitors can explore film archives and speak to heritage guides about the cinema’s rich history.
For a full list of venues and events across both nights, visit thelateshows.org.uk.
