- Feel Good
- 12th Sep 2025
- 0
- 0 minute
The creative scene in Newcastle is alive and well – here’s how to get involved
You don’t need to go to London to find creative opportunities and connect with a community of artists.
Newcastle’s creative scene is quietly growing and if you know where to look, you’ll find an endless amount of talent and ambition in so many different mediums.
Whether you’re an artist yourself or you simply appreciate other people’s art, it can sometimes feel like moving to a big city is the only way to fulfil this need. But with more people comes more competition and less space to stand out.
Instead, Newcastle’s tight knit community allows for more genuine connections, collabs and events than you might realise.
CREATIVE EVENTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
If you’re looking for more than after work drinks and coffee shop catch ups with friends or you’re longing to meet more creative minded people, here’s some events you should be frequenting.
Cobalt Studios
If you’ve only ever been to Cobalt studios for a gig, you’re seriously missing out. From sound baths and open mic nights to life drawing classes and dance workshops, Cobalt is building and nurturing a community of people who want more connection, expression and creativity in their lives.
Join their monthly events, utilise their co-working space or read their zine, Cobalt has endless ways to get involved and get creative.
ANNA VICTORIART
You may have seen her painting a memory or her recent collab with Anthropology, local illustration artist, Anna embraces all mediums bringing her art to life through acrylic, sketching, clay and anything else she can get her hands on.
From House bar Heaton to Ouseburn gardens, you can join Anna’s paint and sip workshops for either a fun, laid back evening or the chance to pick her brain for tips on composition, working with light and shadows and adding emotion to your art. Or both!
Freska
Meet Freska. A supper club for those craving more than a decadent bite to eat.
Freska is bringing together community, storytelling and a shared love of food to local independents across Newcastle and Sunderland. Expect an exclusive evening filled with drinks, dinner, dessert, stunning tablescapes and no detail left unconsidered.
Ladies Wine & Design
Did you know that women visual artists earn 40% less than their male counterparts? Ladies Wine & Design (LWD) does and they want to talk about it.
From creative workshops to casual park hangouts, LWD is carving out a space for creative women to chat, connect and get inspired.
No matter what event you show up to, you can trust that there will be wine (or a non-alc drink), a welcoming group of women and conversations about what it’s like to live and work in the creative industry.
Creative Babes Club
Thank god for the Creative Babes Club. They are all about supporting creative’s wellbeing and bringing their ideas, projects and businesses to life.
Each season they host ‘cup-filling socials’ as well as pop up panels, networking events and workshops across the North East. You can find them anywhere from PLAY Middlesborough, to Friday Vintage Boutique, to Grinder Coffee, to Flaura Rose for creative connections and a supportive community.
ARTISTS WE HAVE OUR EYE ON
Faye Greenman
Moody and beautiful, Faye Greenman’s oil paintings utilise text, form and colour to create thought provoking pieces.
Shop her original art, join her Pick Me Up Postcard Club or browse her candle collab with Caris Green Shop, Faye’s world is endlessly engaging.
Scarlett English
Artist, illustrator and stylist, Scarlett English, is a Newcastle based artist with a romantic yet organic approach to art and life.
You can browse her original art works for your space or request her to do live illustrations at your wedding or event for personalised keepsakes of the day.
Somebody Else’s Guy
Corey Dixon’s eco-conscious fashion label is a breath of fresh air from fast fashion. She creates gender-neutral designs through upcycling, giving Newcastle accessible and sustainable couture.
You might have even seen one of her custom designs on Sam Fender at his Wembley gig this summer!
Browse Somebody Else’s Guy’s one-of-a-kind pieces blurring the lines between art and clothing.
CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NORTH EAST
Sunday Girl Magazine
This empowering independent magazine is all about intellectual girl talk, fashion and community events.
They regularly have open calls for art, written and visual submissions for your chance to be featured in a printed magazine from the North East.
Pattern
Online editorial platform, Pattern is exploring work, life and finding balance in the two.
They host slow networking and co-working days where you can check things off your to-do list, talk and ask for advice from other creatives. Plus, you can join their whatsapp group to share ideas, opportunities, and recommendations with other Newcastle creatives.
Darling Magazine
Darling is an independent publication covering fashion, film, culture, and activism through a socially conscious, inclusive lens.
Not only do they host in-person events and panels, they’re always open to collabs and writers who want to be featured in their upcoming issues.
Creatively Centred
The place for all things creative in Newcastle. Funded by the Newcastle city council, their mission is to make the city centre a place where artists and creatives thrive.
Head to their website to find commissions, grants and funding, resources, networking events and more.
THE LIST GOES ON…
Subscribe
Subscribe now to receive our twice-weekly emails and exclusive offers for High Life North readers.