Summer Block Party | Baltic x The Glasshouse
Our annual Summer Sizzler has had a fresh remix for 2026. We're teaming up with our neighbours The Glasshouse for a Summer Block Party. This will be a proper Tyne-side takeover. Inside. Outside. Riverside. All alive with all out sunshine mode morning ’til late.
It's a summer extravaganza with the return of our annual Art Car Boot Fair with 50 stalls of arts, crafts and more. There are two brand new exhibitions open this day in our biggest galleries plus artist talks, free tours, drop-in creative sessions and more. The day rounds off with a sizzling Summer Preview Party with pizza, cocktails and DJs for dancing with summer vibes.
Please note: Baltic Car Park is closed this day for the Art Car Boot Fair.
Our neighbours The Glasshouse are part of the Block Party with a chance to roam their sprawling makers market, park yourself in a sun patch, or just people‑watch with a cold beer (or iced latte) in hand as their resident DJ keeps the feel‑good tracks rolling. Free, easy, come‑and‑go.
Baltic | 10:00-23:30
The Glasshouse | 11:00-15:00
10:00-18:00 | New Exhibitions open
Free, drop-in. Experience four floors of art including two new exhibitions:
Tish Murtha & Kuba Ryniewicz: Close to Home
Curated by Baltic, Close to Home is a new and expansive exhibition of the acclaimed work by the late Tish Murtha, presented alongside work by Kuba Ryniewicz. Born in South Shields in 1956, Murtha returned to Newcastle after university to document life in her community of Elswick. Her photographs capture the social impact of industrial decline with honesty, empathy and urgency, offering a powerful account of working-class life in the North East. Her work has been seen depicted most recently on album and record sleeves by Mercury Prize-winning North East artist Sam Fender.
Chitra Ganesh: Journey to the Great Below
Experience the work of Brooklyn-based artist Chitra Ganesh in Journey to the Great Below. This exhibition will feature a new animation, newly commissioned sculptural works and a site-specific wall drawing, alongside a selection of recent paintings, prints, works on paper and mixed media works.
Also open: Foundation Press: Starting Lines / Milly Thompson: My Body Temperature is Feeling Good
11:00-17:00 | Art Car Boot Fair (outside)
Free, drop in to Baltic Car Park
Art Car Boot Fair returns as the centrepiece of Baltic's Summer Block Party — a sun-soaked celebration of creativity, community and connection, showcasing artists and makers from across the North and beyond. Enjoy locally-sourced food and drinks, all soundtracked by feel-good DJ beats. Presenting a wide range of affordable artworks, the fair is the perfect opportunity to discover something unique, meet the artists, and soak up the atmosphere.
Confirmed Stallholders: MM / Mark Maker / World of Eldritch / Adgar Helen Designs / Sunday ceramics / PSAG Abstract Art / Sofia Fox Barton / Terox / Atelier / Susan Bradley / BREEZE CREATIVES / Barry Fox / Jen Lithgo Jewellery / Best Practice / Theresa Easton / Mike Finlay / Myrandrawing / Illustrariana / Tomsk Contemporary ceramics / Sharon and Martin Gollan Printmakers / AG Leather / LahLahArt / GOKELTIE / JemJamUK / Bethan Laker Illustration / ikiart / Bound by Alex / Maya Marty Art / Red Rockette / Meg McCoull Art / David Mills Ceramics / Paul Mitchell / Shira-zhadicrafts / Lizzy Mint / DMul Photo / Tittle the Brick / The Hidden Library / Little Arc Jewellery / Jessica Leigh / Adam Pointer / Annette Poulson Ceramics / Thomas Quibell / Rebecca Ridley Ceramics / Inkwell Illustration / Chasing the Storm Jewellery / Drawing in Dark / Callisto Entomology Frames / Hannah Scully Art / Jempg / Cee.Mrtn / Tori Lo Designs / Evie Taylor Prints / #myarthonestybox / Very Iggy / Lesley Eleanor Wood
11:00-14:00 | Create & Connect (Family Activity)
Free, drop in to Learning Lounge, Level 2
Celebrate our United by Love theme by joining in with an artist-led takeover in Learning Lounge, Level 2.
Drop in any time between 11:00 and 14:00 to make a small wearable artwork or leave behind a shared message of love, unity, and togetherness. Working with artist Sian Ponton, you're invited to create a meaningful token to wear. As you move through the building, you might spot someone else wearing their own version — a small moment of recognition that echoes the messages left behind and the small ways we’re linked to one another.
No need to book — just come along, create something meaningful, and explore what unites us.
13:00-14:30 | Collage Collective Alphabet by Foundation Press
Free, drop in to Ground Floor gallery
Celebrate collaboration and togetherness and join this group project designed by Foundation Press using worksheets, templates and recycled risograph prints. Led by animator, illustrator and community artist Lily Kroese. Find out more here.
14:00-16:00 | Queer Pleasure Archive: Opening ‘Chaos’ Party
14:00-16:00 | Free, drop in to Baltic Library, Level 2
Explore Baltic Library through a Queer lens with micro-talks from Sarah Li and pop-up performances from DGA collective (Drag King/Gender-chaos/Alternative Drag). Learn more here
In July, we welcome the Queer Pleasure Archive to Baltic Library, taking a fresh look at the library collection through a queer lens and making interventions that celebrate queer creativity, history and experience. A DIY archive art project led by Newcastle-based artist Sarah Li, highlighting experiences of Queer joy and pleasure that can sometimes be hard to find or access in traditional collections.
15:00-22:00 | Rooftop Cocktail Lounge & Weezy Pop Takeover
Baltic’s Level Six Rooftop becomes a Cocktail Lounge from 15:00 until 22:00. With stunning panoramic views of the quayside, the bar will be serving all the classic drinks plus a special Summer Watermelon Cooler in both cocktail and mocktail versions.
That's not all.... there will be a Weezy Pop Takeover with the launch of some exclusive new products designed for and exclusive to Baltic.
16:00 | Chitra Ganesh: Artist & Curator Tour
Free, booking essential
Chitra Ganesh will discuss her work and exhibition with Senior Curator Emma Dean in a guided tour of Journey to the Great Below.
The first major UK solo exhibition in a public institution of Chitra Ganesh, Journey to the Great Below will feature a new animation, newly commissioned sculptural works and a site-specific wall drawing, alongside a selection of recent paintings, prints, works on paper and mixed media works. Informed by her studies in literature, semiotics, and contemporary social theory, Ganesh's visual vocabulary also draws from histories of surrealism, science fiction, anime, and South Asian visual culture including ancient statuary, popular Indian comics and graphic design.
17:30-23:30 | Summer Preview Party
Free, booking essential. Art, drinks, pizza, sunset,
The day’s festivities culminate in a sizzling Summer Preview Party with a late-night viewing of the two new exhibitions. The party kicks off on Baltic Square with a drumming performance by Dhol Buzz UK, a group of musicians practising the Marathi art form of playing Dhol Taasha with Lezims – presented in collaboration with GemArts.
There's also pizza, cocktails, beer and soft drinks in Baltic Riverside overlooking the Tyne. DJs will provide the soundtrack for dancing and summer vibes.. Leo Robin / Batesy / Burning Down The House
Book tickets here
11:00-15:00 | The Glasshouse
Our quayside neighbours The Glasshouse are part of the Block Party. Head there to roam their sprawling makers market of vinyl, Vintage, crafts and more. Enjoy food from pop-ups Wylam Brewery, The Greekster, and Hizzy’s Pizza. Park yourself in a sun patch with a cold beer (or iced latte) in hand as their resident DJ keeps the feel good tracks rolling.
Makers Market: Vinyl,. vintage, crafts and more
DJs: Omar Disku b2b Westy
Pop-ups: Hizzy's Pizza / The Greekster/ Wylam Brewery
Plus games, colouring, Raga Folk Chorale audio trail, cafe, pub
Important Car Parking Info
In preparation for the Art Car Boot Fair, Baltic Car Park will be closed from Friday 3 July at 9pm and will re-open on Saturday evening 4 July.
Our nearby recommended parking spots are as follows:
Find out more about getting to Baltic here.
Blue Badge Parking
Our disabled parking spaces by the side of our building on Southshore Road will be available, but as we expect a high number of visitors, these may be in limited availability.
The next nearest car park with disabled spaces is Quarryfield Road Car Park, which is approximately an 8-minute walk away.
While we can't guarantee a space, we recommend arriving early for the best chance to secure one. Baltic's building opens at 10am so you are welcome to come in, explore our free entry exhibitions, and enjoy a drink or bite in Baltic Kitchen before heading to the Art Car Boot Fair at 11am.
