Big Days Out: 5 Days of Shapes

Wednesday 30 October 

Ground Floor
Leap Then Look: Play, Interact, Explore | 10:00-18:00pm 
Featuring large, tactile sculptural objects and colourful assemblages, everything in this exhibition is interactive.*

Front Room
All shapes & sizes | 11:00-16:00pm 
Cut your own shapes and designs out of cardboard to construct your own sculpture inspired by Leap Then Look. Start off small and see how big you can go. Drop in throughout the day and get stuck in. All ages, including adults, welcome to explore and make. 

Level 1 
Baltic’s Big Disco: Shape, Rattle & Roll | 10:30-12:00 & 13:00-14.30 
Come and throw some shapes of your own on our dance floor. For one day only we’re hosting a big disco for all the family to enjoy. Dressing up is optional, but bringing your best dance moves is essential!

Level 2 
Shapes Free Play in Learning Lounge | 10:00-18:00
Wander and Wonder Shape Hunt | 10:30
Shape Stories | 11:30-12:00 & 13:30-14:00
Join our friendly learning team in the Learning Lounge for an interactive and creative storytelling session aimed at all ages.  

Thursday 31 October 

Ground Floor
Leap Then Look Play, Interact, Explore | 10:00-18:00 
Featuring large, tactile sculptural objects and colourful assemblages, everything in this exhibition is interactive.*

Front Room
Soft Shapes Sewing Workshop | 11:00-16:00 
Spend the day sewing with us, pick a shape and let's get stuffing. Your template will give you a shaped cushion to decorate, sew and fill. Finish off and take your shape home. All ages welcome, particularly good for ages 8+ and adults. All materials provided, although feel free to bring along your own material if you’d like to choose what your shape looks like. 

Level 1
Play, Shape, Move | 10:30-15:30
Squares, triangles, circles - shapes are brilliant! How do we make flat shapes 3-dimensional? And what about those funny shapes that don't really have names (yet)? What shape is sky, or jelly or toe-nails? Can shapes be furry or bumpy or shiny? What shapes can you make using your body? How big are shapes, and what colour can they be? Join artist Zoe Allen to explore all kinds of shapes and answer all of these questions together. Help create a large-shaped sculpture and invent some new shapes at the same time.

Level 2
Shapes Free Play in Learning Lounge | 10:00-18:00
Shape Stories | 11:30- 12:00 & 13:30-14:00
Join our friendly learning team in the Learning Lounge for an interactive and creative storytelling session aimed at all ages.  

Friday 1 November

Ground Floor
Leap Then Look:Play, Interact, Explore | 10:00-18:00 
Featuring large, tactile sculptural objects and colourful assemblages, everything in this exhibition is interactive.*

Level 1 
Play, Shape, Move | 10:30-15:30
Squares, triangles, circles - shapes are brilliant! How do we make flat shapes 3-dimensional? And what about those funny shapes that don't really have names (yet)? What shape is sky, or jelly or toe-nails? Can shapes be furry or bumpy or shiny? What shapes can you make using your body? How big are shapes, and what colour can they be? Join artist Zoe Allen to explore all kinds of shapes and answer all of these questions together. Help create a large-shaped sculpture and invent some new shapes at the same time.

Front Room
Squishy Shapes | 11:00-16:00 
An all-out playdough fest, join us on our designated dough tables in Front Room to squish, roll and shape to your heart’s content. We can’t wait to see what you make. Drop-in but limited spaces, there may be a wait time for what we expect will be a popular activity. 

Shaping Awareness |  11:30-13:00
A mindfulness workshop with Mindful Therapies where we’ll explore the relationship between shapes and self-awareness. Through a blend of sensory gratitude practices, mindful breathing, movement, and creative expression, you'll discover new ways to connect with the present moment and express gratitude.
11:30-11:45 - exploring the senses and practising gratitude
11:45-12:00 - making a gratitude grid – using a shaped card, decorate and write what you are grateful for and then slot the pieces together to make a collective gratitude image
12:00-12:15 - simple breathing practices - including ‘box breathing’ where we use the image of a square 
12:15-12:30 - short body awareness meditation
12:30-12:45 - mindful movement - focusing on using the body to make shapes
12:45-13:00 - mindful doodling and space for chatting

Building & Quayside
Baltic Tour & Bridge Tilt | 11:00 | Booking essential
Arguably one of the best shapes (besides our building) on our quayside. Meet the team that tilt the iconic Gateshead Millennium Bridge and learn about how it works, see the bridge tilt from inside the control box and then join a tour of Baltic, spotting other landmarks from our viewing areas. 

Level 1 
Play, Shape, Move | 10:30-15:30
Squares, triangles, circles - shapes are brilliant! How do we make flat shapes 3-dimensional? And what about those funny shapes that don't really have names (yet)? What shape is sky, or jelly or toe-nails? Can shapes be furry or bumpy or shiny? What shapes can you make using your body? How big are shapes, and what colour can they be? Join artist Zoe Allen to explore all kinds of shapes and answer all of these questions together. Help create a large-shaped sculpture and invent some new shapes at the same time.

Level 2 
Shapes Free Play in Learning Lounge | 10:00-18:00
Shape Stories | 11:30-12:00 & 13:30-14:00
Join our friendly learning team in the Learning Lounge for an interactive and creative storytelling session aimed at all ages.  

Saturday 2 November

Ground Floor
Leap Then Look: Play, Interact, Explore | 10:00-18:00 
Featuring large, tactile sculptural objects and colourful assemblages, everything in this exhibition is interactive.*

Leap Then Look: Workshop | 14:00-16:00
Nature shapes - Join Baltic Artist Katie Watson for a free, hands-on workshop exploring shapes found in nature! Perfect for families with children aged 5-12.

Front Room
Board Games & Puzzles Day | 11:00-17:00
Join us for a day of board games and puzzles. Jenga, chess, shapes and sorting are the order of the day. With games for all ages, make friends, roll a dice and see if you can be awinner. We’ll provide the games and puzzles with focus on shapes and colour. If you have board games or complete puzzles you’d like to donate, we love to play and then pass them on to a new home so please feel free to drop off anything you no longer need either on the day or in advance. 

Sunday 3 November

Front Room
Swap & Share Books | 10:00-16:00
Need a refresh to your bookshelf? Swap or give away your pre-loved books so they can find a loving new home. You can also join us for this month’s Book Club: After Dark by Haruki Murakami which will begin at 2pm.

Ground Floor
Leap Then Look: Play, Interact, Explore | 10:00-18:00 
Featuring large, tactile sculptural objects and colourful assemblages, everything in this exhibition is interactive.*

Level 2 
Shapes Free Play in Learning Lounge | 10:00-18:00
Meet & Make: Shapes | 14:00-16:00
Take part in free artist-led workshops perfect for families with children aged 5-12.

*We want you to have space and time to enjoy this exhibition so we may need to maintain a set capacity at busy times, if this is in place due to us having a busy day, please pick up a time slot on the day – just ask Baltic Crew for details during your visit.