Baltic gallery welcomes ten millionth visitors

A contemporary art gallery has reached a major milestone after clocking ten million visitors.

At 2.30pm on Wednesday, April 9, Marie and David Thompson, from Bedlington, in Northumberland, became the ten millionth visitors to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, in Gateshead.

They were greeted by Sarah Munro, director of Baltic, who presented them with flowers, a special Baltic goodie bag, vouchers for Baltic Kitchen and complimentary dinner for two at Six – Baltic’s rooftop restaurant that boasts panoramic views of the Quayside.

Sarah said: “Marie and David have such wonderful connections to Baltic, so it feels very serendipitous that they were the ten millionth visitors to the gallery. 

“As well as being regular visitors with their children and grandchildren for the past 20 years, their daughter also got married at Baltic, so it’s a place that holds very special memories for them.

“We’re incredibly proud to have reached the milestone of ten million visitors, and I’d like to personally thank each and every person that has visited and enjoyed the gallery over the past 22 years.”

Marie added: “Our daughter studied fine art in Sunderland, so we’d often visit as a family. 

“She has such a love for art that when she got married she chose to have the ceremony at Baltic. 

“We’ve all got such lovely memories of Baltic because of that.

“We’re incredibly lucky to have a venue like Baltic here in the North East.

“We’ll be coming back for many years to come.”

Since launching in July 2002, Baltic, which occupies a converted flour mill on the south bank of the River Tyne, has hosted more than 300 exhibitions featuring nearly 900 artists from 78 countries. 

It became the first non-Tate venue to host the Turner Prize in 2011, and was awarded Gallery of Sanctuary status in 2021.

The venue is currently the most visited free attraction in the North East, with its latest exhibitions, Remember, Somewhere by North East artists and twin sisters Laura and Rachel Lancaster, and How I Am Monument, by artist Ali Cherri, opening on April 12. 

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