North England's Contemporary Kunsthalle Inside a Flour Mill

At a Glance

BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art is a non-collecting contemporary kunsthalle on the south bank of the Tyne in Gateshead, across from Newcastle. Since opening in 2002 it has become one of the principal contemporary-art venues in northern England, staging 8–10 major exhibitions a year.

Flour Mill Turned Kunsthalle

The 1950 Baltic Flour Mills were converted by Dominic Williams (Ellis Williams Architects): keep the industrial carcass, carve out only what the galleries need. Six floors, five white-cube galleries, a rooftop restaurant (Six), and the original BALTIC signage. The Gateshead Millennium Bridge rises in front of it, making the pair a single riverfront landmark.

Programme

• Curated shows, including Turner Prize 2011 and solo exhibitions with Whiteread and Kanwar.
• Fourth-floor gallery with 7-metre ceilings for large installations.
• BALTIC 39, the city-centre satellite for emerging artists.
• Six restaurant — the best view of Newcastle's skyline.

Tips

Ten-minute walk from Newcastle's Monument station, crossing the Millennium Bridge. Free. Budget 1.5–2 hours. Add Sage Gateshead and the Angel of the North for a full day.