Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art

Om museet

The Baltic building was originally a flour mill that operated from the 1950s into the 1980s on the south bank of the River Tyne. The idea of a major centre for contemporary art on Tyneside was announced in 1991 by the regional arts body Northern Arts, at a time of regeneration along the Newcastle and Gateshead quaysides. The scheme was funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, together with Gateshead Council and other regional and European funders.

The first director, Sune Nordgren, was appointed in 1996, and building work began in 1998. Only the north and south facades of the mill were kept; a new structure with six main floors and three mezzanines was built between them, with galleries, a performance space, studios, a cinema, a library and a shop. A two-storey riverside building to the west now holds the main entrance. The architect Dominic Williams of Ellis Williams Architects led the conversion.

Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art opened on 13 July 2002 with the group exhibition B.OPEN, which drew more than 35,000 visitors in its first week. It has no permanent collection and instead shows a constantly changing programme of exhibitions by local, national and international artists, along with talks, performances and learning activities. Entry is free all year, and the centre is run by a registered charity. Facilities include a sensory room, a library, a viewing box and, on the ground floor, a shop and kitchen.

Højdepunkter

• Six floors of changing contemporary art exhibitions with free entry
• Converted 1950s flour mill on the Gateshead Quays
• Viewing box and upper floors with views of the Tyne Bridge and quayside
• Sensory Room and Learning Lounge for families
• Reference library on contemporary art and visual culture

Grundlagt

2002

Ejer

Baltic Flour Mills Visual Arts Trust

Entrépriser & rabatter

Der er gratis entré.

Entry to the exhibitions is free all year, and donations are encouraged. Some events are ticketed separately.

Tilgængelighed

• Kørestolsvenlig
• Elevator
• Handicaptoilet
• Handicapparkering
• Servicehunde tilladt
• Taktile tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Rundvisninger på tegnsprog
• Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Synstolkning

The main entrance and a level-access entrance on South Shore Road are step-free or ramped. Glass lifts with spoken floor announcements serve all floors from the ground floor to Level 6, with a non-glass lift as an alternative. Toilets with level access are on every floor except Level 5, with accessible toilets on all other floors and an adult changing facility that should be booked in advance. Wheelchairs and four-wheel mobility scooters can be borrowed (booking advised). Large print guides, subtitles on all films, sensory bags, a quiet space and visual stories are provided. Braille, audio, descriptive and sign language interpreted tours can be arranged on request. Blue Badge holders park free in the car park, with four more spaces beside the building on South Shore Road. Trained assistance dogs are welcome.

Børn og familie

Velegnet til børn og familier

• Familieomvisninger & workshops
• Interaktive stationer
• Barnevognsvenlig
• Puslerum
• Legeplads / legehjørne

The free Sensory Room on Level 2 has sensory toys, projections and a bubble tube, and the Learning Lounge offers games and activities. The Front Room has highchairs, free squash and water and facilities to heat milk and baby food, plus a picnic area. Free nappies and wipes can be requested. Family activities such as a school-holiday cereal disco run in the Front Room. Baby changing is on the ground floor, Level 1 and Level 2.

Transport & parkering

Gateshead town centre is a 10 to 15 minute walk away on a step-free route. A coach drop-off point is next to Baltic on South Shore Road, and free bike racks are on Baltic Square. Roadworks on the Tyne Bridge and the A167 flyover affect car routes.

Service & spisesteder

• Café
• Restaurant: findes ikke
• Museumsbutik
• Opbevaringsskabe
• Wi-fi

Free wi-fi is available in the Front Room on the ground floor, which also offers free hot drinks and squash. Baltic Kitchen serves hot snacks and drinks, and there is a gift shop. The rooftop restaurant has permanently closed. Lockers cost 1 pound and are emptied at 5.55pm each day.

Arrangementer & udlejning

• Lokaler til leje
• Private fester
• Firmaarrangementer
• Bryllupper / vielser

Spaces for hire include the Baltic Riverside room, a Level 1 event space with a 54-seat cinema, gallery rooms and the Level 6 event space with panoramic views. Enquiries go to the hires team.

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