FAQs - FEstivAl FinAlE About the event What is North of the Tyne, Under the Stars? North of Tyne, Under the Stars is a series of spellbinding outdoor events taking place across Newcastle, Northumberland and North Tyneside in February and March 2022. The project is divided into smaller-scale “Neighbourhood Events”, taking place in local parks and the large-scale “Festival Finale” taking place in Newcastle City Centre, as well as projects taking place in schools. The events are all connected by the tale of a mysterious and magical Story-Weaver called down from the stars to spin a new story for the region. What is the Festival Finale? The Festival Finale is the culmination of the tale of the Story-Weaver. Having travelled the region to find out what makes it unique and special, she is now inviting you to witness the magic she has woven from the stories she has been told. The event consists of six large-scale, spectacular video and sound installations, projected onto the iconic architecture and streets of Newcastle. Each piece has been created by a different artist or group of artists and each takes its inspiration from a different facet of the North of Tyne region. You can find out more about the artworks here. Download our festival guide here. What is the difference between the Festival Finale and the neighbourhood events? The neighbourhood events act as a teaser or trailer for the Festival Finale and have been designed for audiences local to each park. The finale is a bigger event for a much larger audience which builds on the same story, but involves a further five large-scale video and sound installations. Do I have to come to a neighbourhood event and the finale event? You don’t have to! We think the best experience will be if you come to one of the neighbourhood events and then follow up with a visit to the Festival Finale. However, the Festival Finale also works as a standalone event. What time does it begin and end? The Festival Finale takes place between 18:30 and 22:00 each evening. You can visit at any time during these hours. We expect that visitors will spend between 90 minutes and 2 hours at the event. Do I need a ticket? No, this event is FREE and open to all so there’s no need to book. Will I have to queue to see things? If the events become very busy, we may need to control access to some areas for brief periods, but we do not anticipate long wait times. We expect the events to be busier at the beginning of the evening, so you may choose to wait and come later on. Where exactly does the Festival Finale take place? The installations are all located around the Newcastle University Campus, Barras Bridge and the Civic Centre. You can find a map here. Is there a specific route? No. You can experience the installations in any order. Are toilets, including accessible toilets, available? Toilets are available at the following locations on the Newcastle University Campus: • Male, female and accessible toilets at the Courtyard Cafe. • Male, female toilets available in the Students’ Union Building, Levels 1 and 2– note these are only accessible via a staircase. • Accessible toilet with a hoist is available in King’s Gate building– where the info and Welfare Hub is located. Temporary event toilets are available on the Civic Centre site. Are refreshments available? We encourage you to use the city centre businesses and support the local economy. Many restaurants and bars are available within a short walk of the event site. You can find details here. On the University Campus, the following outlets will be open: • Street Kitchen, serving street food, snacks and hot and cold drinks. • Courtyard Café, complete with a new look, serving a variety of fresh food options from homemade pizza to delicious chef specials. • The Grand, serving barista coffee, cold drinks, snacks, cakes, and sandwiches. Will the events be cancelled in bad weather? The events are unlikely to be cancelled in bad weather, such as rain or light winds. If it does rain, please still join us and don’t forget your waterproofs! Please avoid bringing umbrellas which may block the view of others. In the event of severe weather, particularly high winds, please refer to the website and our official social media channels for the latest updates. The event takes place outdoors after dark. Please dress for the weather and wear sensible footwear as some areas of the sites may be muddy underfoot. Travel How do I get to the event? The event takes place in Newcastle city centre, so there are a number of bus, train and Metro routes available. We encourage the use of public transport or travelling by foot where possible. If you are travelling from outside of Newcastle upon Tyne, please visit the ‘Getting Here’ page at NewcastleGateshead.com for further information. Will there be road closures? There will be a number of road closures in the area to facilitate the safe running of the event. These will be in place between 18:00 and 23:00 each day, Thursday 10 to Sunday 13 March. Full details of the closures can be found here. Diversion routes will be clearly signposted. How do I get there by bus? There are a number of bus services to Newcastle City Centre from across the North East. Visit the ‘Getting Around’ page at NewcastleGateshead.com for further information and to plan your journey from your nearest bus stop. Please note that due to road closures necessary to the running of the event, some bus routes are being diverted. As diversions arrangements are confirmed details will be available on the Nexus website here. How do I get there by Metro? Haymarket Metro Station is just a 2-minute walk from the event footprint, with Monument and St James within a 10-minute walk and Central Station within a 15-minute walk to the event. Visit Nexus.org to plan your journey using Tyne and Wear Metro. How do I get there by car? City centre car parks will be operating as normal, and visitors are encouraged to make use of NE1’s Alive After Five initiative, where you can park for free after 5pm. Visit NE1’s website for more information about Alive After Five car parks. Visit Newcastle City Council’s website for details of other available public parking. Please note the road closure information above. How do I get there by bike? Please note that between 6pm and 11pm each evening, the cycle route on John Dobson Street between Saville Place and St Mary’s Place will be closed as will the route through the Civic Centre from Jesmond Road West to St Mary's place. These cycle lane closures along with the road closures in the area will be in place to ensure the safety of the large number of people we expect to attend the event. A diversion route will be in place and will be signposted. Cyclists are also welcome to dismount and push their bikes through the site. Access We aim to make our events as inclusive as possible. If you have any comments or suggestions around access, please email Are the events accessible? We aim to make our events as inclusive as possible. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions around access, please email [email protected]. At the event, please talk to any volunteer, steward or member of event staff if we can do anything to support your enjoyment and experience of the event. Is the event wheelchair accessible? Each artwork site is wheelchair accessible. Volunteers and stewards have been briefed to ensure that wheelchair users are guided to the front of each viewing area to ensure the best experience of the artwork. Is there allocated seating? There is no seating provided at this event. Is the event accessible for those who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing? All of the artworks are highly visual and can be enjoyed by those who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing. Two of the installations do involve spoken word. The Story-Weaver installation has a large, poetic spoken word element. This will be captioned at the following times: Friday 11th March 8:30-10pm Sunday 13th March 6:30-8pm Transcripts of this piece will be available at The Info & Welfare Hub or if you would like to receive one in advance we would be happy to supply this. Please email [email protected]. The Meadow Wall installation has a smaller amount of spoken word which will be captioned as part the artwork. Does the event include strobe lighting? The Story-Weaver installation includes a small amount of strobe lighting. The other installations all involve large-scale projections which may, at times, include flashing imagery. Is blue badge parking available? As this event takes place in a public space, the usual blue badge parking provision is available. Details can be found on Newcastle City Council’s website. Is there a welfare space? The info & Welfare Hub is coated in the King’s Gate Building on Barras Bridge. This is our space you can retreat to if you need to ask a question, feed your baby or take a few minutes away from the crowds. Other Is the event dog friendly? Due the number of people expected to attend the event, we advise that you do not bring family pets. Assistance dogs are, of course, welcome. I've lost something while at the event, what do I do? If you lost something whilst you were attending any of the North of the Tyne, Under the Stars events, please get in touch with us via email at [email protected] with a description of the item. What do I do if I lose someone at the event? If you lose someone or need assistance, please alert an event steward or volunteer. In the event of a lost child or vulnerable person, the stewards will implement an official procedure. Who are the organisers of the show? North of the Tyne, Under the Stars is produced by Pinwheel and DAT Events and commissioned by the North of Tyne Combined Authority. Find out more about the organisers here. Who are the artists involved? Find out more about all the artists involved here. Where does the money come from to fund the events? The events are funded by the North of Tyne Combined Authority and Newcastle City Council. How do I find out about future events like this? You can follow us on social media and sign up to Pinwheel’s newsletter to be the first to find out about upcoming events and opportunities. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
