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The Glasshouse announces its biggest Summer yet

Posted on 27 March 2026

Gary Numan on the Concourse. A Northern Soul all-dayer. A Summer Block Party with Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. Free films, family raves and wellness weekends. This summer, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music is opening up its spaces and letting the music spill out.  

The Glasshouse in Gateshead today announces Summer Mix Tape programme – a season of music-led events, activities and experiences running from July to the end of August. It’s the first time since before Covid that the building has been used in this way: not just for performances in the halls, but as a place to drop in, spend time and discover something unexpected.

Rather than a series of one-off events, Summer Mix Tape is designed as a running playlist – a mix of free and ticketed moments across the building’s public spaces. From live gigs and DJ sets to films, workshops and family events, it’s an open invitation to come and be part of the building in a different way. 

At the centre of the programme are a handful of standout events. Gary Numan brings a rare, up-close performance to the Concourse on 18 July, turning one of the North East’s most recognisable spaces into an atmospheric live venue. Later in the summer, a Northern and Modern Soul all-dayer takes over the same space in partnership with Tyneside Soul Promotions – a full day built around the music and the people who love it. The season opens with a free Block Party on Saturday 4 July with DJs, food, makers and a relaxed, all-day atmosphere across the riverside as The Glasshouse celebrates summer with Quayside neighbours Baltic. 

Alongside these moments, the building is filled with smaller, sociable experiences that run throughout the summer. Music on Film brings three landmark music documentaries to The Brasserie on Sunday afternoons, including Stop Making Sense, The Last Waltz and Summer of Soul. Saturday mornings are given over to Family Film Club, with Coco, Sing and Fantasia on the big screen. 

Elsewhere, Tea and Tracks pairs classic albums with good food and a proper listen – from Pet Sounds to Folklore. Yoga in Harmony and a full Wellness Weekend bring live music into slower, more reflective sessions, while Little Groovers invites younger audiences onto the dancefloor for daytime parties filled with DJs, bubbles and energy.

There’s plenty more to discover across the programme, from a Family Fun Day with a live ceilidh and drop-in activities, to a high-energy Jumpin’ Jive night, and Game On – a day of arcade games, Lego and music. The season closes with a silent disco taking over the building late afternoon. 

Throughout Summer Mix Tape, the focus is on creating a space that feels welcoming – whether you’re coming for a specific event or simply passing through. 

Jared Bowers, Chief Operating Officer at The Glasshouse said: 

“This summer feels like an open invitation. Whether you’re here for a gig, a film, a dancefloor or just to spend time by the river, we want The Glasshouse to be somewhere people can drop in and discover something new. There’s a real mix of things happening and we’re excited to see the building used in different ways throughout the summer.” 

 

More information theglasshouseicm.org/summermix  

ENDS 

Summer Mix Tape Listings 

  • Gary Numan | Saturday 18 July | Concourse | Ticketed 
  • Northern and Modern Soul All-Dayer | Saturday 30 August | Concourse | Ticketed 
  • Music on Film | Sundays 12 July, 2 August, 30 August | The Brasserie | Free 
  • Family Film Club | Saturdays 11 July, 8 August, 22 August | The Brasserie | Free 
  • Tea and Tracks | Friday 10 July and Sunday 23 August | The Brasserie | Ticketed 
  • Yoga in Harmony | Sundays 12 July, 15-16 August | Concourse | Ticketed 
  • Wellness Weekend | Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August | Concourse | Ticketed 
  • Jumpin’ Jive | Friday 14 August | Concourse | Ticketed
  • Game On | Sunday 9 August | Concourse | Free
  • End of Summer Silent Disco | Sunday 29 August | Ticketed

About The Glasshouse International Centre for Music 

The Glasshouse International Centre for Music is a home for live music lovers. 

It’s a place where you can hear rock legends or pop icons on the same night as folk trios or string quartets. Where new musicians are nurtured and showcased on the same stages as platinum-selling performers. And where youth choirs and tambourine-shaking toddlers practise in the same spaces as its acclaimed orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia. 

Because as an international centre for music they’re focused on creating and celebrating outstanding music – whether that’s unearthing or growing talent from the region or bringing the world’s best artists to their stages. And as a charity they’re focused on making sure all of that is available to anyone – no matter where you’re from, how old you are, how much money you have, or what challenges you face. 

Which is why every year more than 2 million people are able to join for top-notch gigs, concerts, and classes – in their venue at Gateshead Quays, out in communities across the North East, and through livestreamed performances and digital lessons. 

Whether you’re making it up or taking it in, you’ll find music lives and grows there. 

More about The Glasshouse International Centre for Music 

  • Since opening in 2004, The Glasshouse has hosted over 10,000 performances, welcoming nearly 5 million audience members and a total of 8 million visitors through its doors. It would take more than 27 years to see every show if you attended one every day. 
  • Over two decades, the charity has delivered around 233,000 music lessons, reaching young people and adults 2.8 million times across its education programmes (1.8 million of which were young people). 
  • As its resident orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia has toured globally, performing across four continents and livestreaming to audiences across five. Royal Northern Sinfonia also continues to bring world-class music to communities across the country, with 58% of performances in “levelling up for culture” areas. 
  • The Glasshouse has supported the careers of thousands of artists like Ward Thomas who have worked their way from free stages to headline shows in its main hall, achieving national and global recognition. 
  • A recent report quantified its annual social value through education, inclusion and community programmes at £14.1 million. 
  • Since 2004, The Glasshouse has welcomed over 400,000 delegates for conferences and events, hosting organisations such as Greggs, NHS, and British Engines. Through conferences and events it has generated £10.6 million, helping to fund the venue and support live music and education programmes. 
  • Over the past two decades, The Glasshouse has generated £681.2million to the UK economy with £38.6m each year in ongoing impact. It supports 700 jobs directly and indirectly. 
  • The iconic building, designed by Foster + Partners, has 630 panes of glass and stands 40 metres tall. In its opening year, it was exhibited at the Venice Biennale and won the RIBA Inclusive Design Award in 2005. 

Celebrating 20 years – In December 2024, The Glasshouse marked its 20th birthday. Over the next year, the charity will reflect on two decades of achievements and look ahead to its third decade, with major initiatives like the Music Academy and Music Pass for newborns, making music accessible to all.