In Newcastle upon Tyne, six talented artists have transformed a 500-year-old lane into a lively urban art gallery as part of a project aimed at placing creativity and culture at the heart of the city centre.
This brand-new outdoor gallery, led by Creative Central NCL, is situated on Forth Lane and carries the theme “Pleasure Garden.”
In collaboration with Newcastle Arts Centre, Project North East, and NE1, Creative Central NCL selected six artists to contribute their works to the Forth Lane Urban Gallery:
- Chris Fleming, a stencil artist, has created two large portraits of Newcastle residents, featuring bold and colourful headpieces inspired by nature, flora, and fauna.
- Glenn Malpass, a street artist known for his graffiti commissions, has designed a large-scale mural spreading across Forth Lane. This piece is inspired by the historic route leading to the original Forth Pleasure Garden, with art direction by Mark One87.
- Jed Buttress, an award-winning investigative artist, has produced a 3D wall mural that resembles ancient carvings influenced by the city’s history.
- Laura Sheldon, also known as SHELDO, has crafted a striking mural inspired by Victorian pleasure gardens, blending a bold and modern style.
- Rebecca Purnell’s piece portrays Newcastle’s ordinary residents becoming intertwined with nature, with limbs encircling trees and faces emerging from the greenery.
- Tullulah Lines has created a vibrant, magical, and surreal artwork that draws inspiration from the freedom and joy found in nature and outdoor spaces.
Visitors to Forth Lane can now explore six unique murals that breathe new life into this historic lane, which has been in use since the 1500s.
Historically, the lane led to a four-acre field that served as a place for leisure and enjoyment for people of all ages, hosting activities such as sports, dancing, and casual strolls. However, as Newcastle’s population grew rapidly during the Industrial Revolution, Forth Lane became part of the expanding city, and the once peaceful pleasure grounds disappeared.
With the creation of this urban gallery, Creative Central NCL aims to recapture the sense of freedom, joy, and tranquillity that people once experienced when strolling through the park.
Artist Laura Sheldon, who was commissioned to create one of the murals, expressed her delight: “I’m elated to receive this commission! Newcastle holds a very special place in my heart so to have a mural in such a central and historic area is a dream come true.
My initial idea was to couple the exuberant fashion of the time with a surreal depiction of the Forth Gate Victorian fenced Pleasure Garden nestled amongst the character’s hair. I wanted to include a modern style and serene character to emphasise how we still use green spaces as an oasis to escape the city’s hustle and bustle. Looking back to the past as well as looking forward to our ongoing relationship with nature.”
Creative Central NCL is a five-year project funded by the North East Combined Authority and Newcastle City Council. The partnership is investing £1.7 million into Creative Central NCL to make Newcastle’s city centre a thriving hub for creativity and culture, while creating more opportunities for artists and creative enterprises to flourish.
Cllr Abdul Samad, Cabinet Member for a Vibrant City at Newcastle City Council, commented: “It is fantastic to see different pieces of art brightening up our city centre, providing local people with free access to public art as well as opportunities for local artists to showcase their work and share it with others.
“Creative Central NCL is playing such a pivotal role in providing local artists and creatives the platform to establish themselves and grow, and it is testament to the project’s success that in just over a year, it has committed over £588,000 to artists and creative organisations.
“Art and culture have such an important part to play in our city, and in the wellbeing of so many people who enjoy it. It is also a pleasure to see this project transforming a public place so strikingly.”
The Forth Lane Urban Gallery is now open to the public.
