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North East gallery’s new summer show celebrates Northern talent

An independent North East art gallery is drawing up its biggest ever programme of exhibitions and events this summer, inspired by creative talent here in the North.

The Biscuit Factory, located in Newcastle’s Ouseburn, has launched its new summer exhibition, along with a diverse line-up of workshops, talks and a contemporary craft fair that spotlight artistic innovation from across Northern England.

Emerging British artist Dan Cimmermann headlines the new summer show with Northern Soul - a collection of portraits inspired by notable figures from the north. Dan will also be painting a large-scale mural of the northern inventor George Stephenson which will be on permanent public display on Boyd Street, Ouseburn.

Dan explains: “I see the paintings as replicating contemporary society through layers of paint and marks merged together with classical elements of portraiture and figures from history.”

The gallery, which features on the Design Trail for this summer’s Great Exhibition of the North, also presents design | innovate | craft – a mixed media show that celebrates innovation within contemporary craft. The collection brings together work from more than 20 designer-makers from the North of England, encompassing furniture, ceramics, jewellery, sculpture and original prints, all for sale.

Plus, the award-winning Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair comes to The Biscuit Factory on 23 and 24 June. This celebration of the best in contemporary craft and design is a unique opportunity to buy and commission covetable work by over 50 specially selected artists and designer-makers.

Throughout the summer, The Biscuit Factory will also be hosting creative workshops and talks from the likes of local potters Muddy Fingers, upcycling extraordinaire Cheryl Lumley and jewellery maker Rachel Butlin. The gallery will also be one of six venues taking part in a special Ouseburn Open Studios event on 30 June and 1 July which will offer the public a rare glimpse into the working world of local artists.

Rachel Brown, general manager of The Biscuit Factory, comments: “With all eyes on the North of England this summer, we’ve developed a wide-reaching programme that really champions art, craft and design in the region. Our exhibitions reflect local and emergent talent alongside more established names and we have exciting events and workshops taking place throughout the summer. We hope that our visitors will enjoy what, we think, is one of our strongest seasons ever at The Biscuit Factory.”

The summer exhibition runs until 26 August. The gallery is open seven days a week and admission is free. For more information, visit www.thebiscuitfactory.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Alexis Forsyth .