Front Room

We are a Warm Space

As part of Gateshead Council’s Warm Spaces Network, Baltic and Sage Gateshead are opening our doors to the public, no questions asked, to support our local communities through the harsh winter months.

We have signed up to the Warm Spaces charter, which was developed in collaboration with the Gateshead Poverty Truth Commission. The charter guarantees that everyone who visits a Warm Space will be welcomed.

As annual energy bills for a typical household rise by about 27%, despite the Government’s renewed price cap promise, for many families and individuals across Gateshead, this cost – alongside the rising cost of food and other essentials– remains simply unaffordable.

Offering free entry to the building, refreshments, and areas for work and play, the Warm Spaces initiative is made up of venues, libraries, town halls, sports clubs and community centres across Gateshead. Members of the local community will be greeted with a warm welcome and treated with dignity and respect in a non-judgemental environment. Sage Gateshead and Baltic are also offering free Wi-Fi and charging spots and Pay What you Can tea and coffee. Both venues have baby changing facilities and accessible toilets.

We are a Gallery of Sanctuary

Awarded in 2022, our Gallery of Sanctuary status recognises our efforts in supporting sanctuary seekers, raising awareness of forced migration and celebrating cultures.

The title, the first Gallery of Sanctuary in England, was awarded by City of Sanctuary UK, a nationally coordinated network of organisations and services, including cities, universities, theatres and libraries that welcome and support refugees and people seeking asylum. City of Sanctuary’s Awards recognise and celebrate organisations that go above and beyond to welcome people seeking sanctuary. Appraised by a panel including someone with lived experience of seeking sanctuary and an expert in the field, the awards rewards good practice and progress within a sector.