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Narrowly missing
out on it's
European Capital
of Culture
nomination,
Gateshead is a
town with a lot
to offer. Its
history predates
Roman times,
when a bridge
and Gatehouse
were built
across the River
Tyne. Centuries
later the town
expanded, during
the industrial
revolution, with
shipbuilding,
pottery,
ironworks and
glass making. A
number of famous
inventors
carried out
their pioneering
work in
Gateshead,
including the
inventor of the
steam
locomotive,
George
Stevenson,
Joseph Swan and
Charles Parsons,
to name a few.
Gateshead's
varied
industrial
heritage lives
on today at the
Shipley Art
Gallery's 'Made
in Gateshead'
exhibition.
Today, in
addition to it's
thriving
industries,
Gateshead is
possibly more
famed as a
centre for the
arts. Opened in
2002, 'BALTIC -
The Centre for
Contemporary
Arts', housed in
part of the
former Baltic
flour mill in
the Gateshead
Quays, is a
major
international
centre for
contemporary
arts. The
Gateshead Quays,
in the heart of
the cultural
quarter, is
undergoing a
£250 million
regeneration
scheme. It is
home to the
stunning
Millennium
Bridge, which
has attracted
international
attention for
it's unique
design that
makes the Quays
skyline one of
the most
distinctive in
Europe. The
Quays are also
home to
pioneering music
centre and a
wealth of bars
and restaurants.
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Angel of the North - Photo:
Alison Clayton
CCL |
The artistic
traditions of
Gateshead are
continued
outside of the
centre through a
number of
initiatives.
Standing next to
the A1 on the
outskirts of
Gateshead and on
the edge of the
Great North
Forest is
Britain's
largest
sculpture, The
Angel of the
North. Standing
at over 20
metres hall, it
is the creation
of
internationally
renowned
sculptor, Antony
Gormley. Also
situated in the
Gateshead
countryside is
the 'Marking the
Ways' sculptural
trail, which is
a six mile
circular route
featuring some
30 pieces of
art. The
sculptures were
produced by a
number of
national
sculptors, all
working with
local people to
develop their
designs. The
Riverside
Sculpture Park
is another
award-winning
collection,
again from
nationally
renowned
artists.
Aside from the
history and
culture, there
is plenty more
to do. With the
Metro Centre and
Retail world, in
the town centre,
the shopping is
excellent. The
Gateshead
leisure centre
offers excellent
facilities,
while the
Whickham Thorns
Outdoor Activity
Centre can boast
the UK's first
outdoor boulder
climbing
facility. As
part of the
council's land
reclamation
programme, the
Derwenthaugh
Park has
recently opened
on the site of a
former coke
works and now
features acres
of parkland,
cycle tracks,
footpaths, a
fishing lake and
a golf course. |
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