Creative Central NCL has unveiled a new wave of public art installations in Newcastle city centre, as part of its ongoing effort to highlight the city’s creative energy and cultural identity.
Developed in partnership with Newcastle Arts Centre, Project North East, NE1, and Newcastle City Council, the Forth Lane Urban Gallery was originally launched in October 2024. The project continues to evolve under the theme Pleasure Garden, which references Forth Lane’s historic connection to The Forth — once a much-loved public space for leisure and community gathering.
This year’s new works include murals by artists Bex Masters, Bethan Harris, and MarkOne87, created alongside residents of Tyneside Foyer, as well as a collaborative piece by Josie Brookes and students from Newcastle College.
Meanwhile, nearby Pink Lane welcomes the first in a series of planned artworks by ALECLDN (Alec Saunders) and Millie Avis. Their murals celebrate the area’s rich cultural landscape and the independent character that defines the lane.
Together, the installations add a new burst of colour and collaboration to Newcastle’s urban environment, connecting two of its most historic lanes through creativity.
Bex Masters, a gilder and oil painter, has created Kundalini, a mural exploring reflection and renewal through ideas of feminine energy and transformation. Bex said: “Inspired by my multicultural upbringing and heritage, this mural explores the concept of a Pleasure Garden through the eyes and hands of a person of colour.”
Bethan Harris, an artist known for her expressive use of colour, brings her intuitive mark-making and emotional connection with landscape to the lane. Bethan said: “My inspiration began with the landscapes of Northumberland, which have always been a source of creativity for me. There’s a raw, untamed beauty there that speaks to a more instinctive, sensory connection with nature.”
Returning artist MarkOne87 collaborated with residents of Tyneside Foyer to produce a new piece exploring the, sometimes lost, natural human tendency to connect with nature and the importance of green spaces as a haven, while Josie Brookes, working with students from Newcastle College, guided a collaborative design process celebrating young artists’ voices and the importance of shared creative spaces.
Over on Pink Lane ALECLDN and Millie Avis have created murals that act as creative wayfinding, connecting cultural venues such as Newcastle Arts Centre, The Black Swan, Tyne Theatre & Opera House and NX through playful, small-scale designs.
The pieces appear across facades, gates and shopfronts as part of wider plans to introduce more public art and creative interventions in the area throughout the coming months.
Cllr Abdul Samad, Cabinet Member for Culture, Music and Arts at Newcastle City Council, said: “It’s fantastic to see artists continuing to shape and enrich our city centre. Projects like this bring people together and show the value of art and creativity in making Newcastle’s public spaces welcoming and distinctive.”
The Forth Lane and Pink Lane commissions form part of Creative Central NCL, a five-year project funded by the North East Combined Authority, Newcastle City Council and part funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, investing £1.7 million to support artists and creative businesses in central Newcastle.