What's On in Newcastle

Newcastle Beyond Van Gogh — Running in waves from 9:00am onwards at the Utilita Arena, this immersive experience drops you inside the turbulent, luminous world of Vincent van Gogh — think swirling Starry Nights and golden sunflowers projected floor-to-ceiling all around you. It is the kind of exhibition that makes even seasoned gallery-goers gasp, and with multiple entry slots throughout the day, you can slot it around everything else. Prices are listed on the website, and a Flexi ticket option is also available for extra booking flexibility.

Shorty Sundays — NQ64 is one of Newcastle's most brilliantly bonkers venues — a retro arcade bar where the controls are always within reach — and Shorty Sundays from 11:00am is their standing invitation for families to come and play together. Kids and grown-ups can battle it out on classic arcade cabinets in an atmosphere that is genuinely joyful rather than just tolerated. Check the website for the latest pricing and age guidance, and get in early before the queues build.

Hoedown Sundays — Dust off your boots and head to Cowgirls And Country from 2:00pm, where Hoedown Sundays transforms the afternoon into a full-throttle country and western party. At £40 it is a commitment, but by all accounts this crowd gives it everything — line dancing, big sounds, and an energy that makes a regular Sunday feel very far away. If you have ever wanted to try something wildly out of your usual comfort zone, this is the one.

DIGITAL presents: Tre Reynolds + guests @ Ouseburn Garden — From 3:00pm, the gorgeous outdoor setting of Ouseburn Garden becomes the stage for a proper open-air electronic music session courtesy of DIGITAL, one of the North East's most respected club nights. Tre Reynolds heads the bill, bringing a sound that is sophisticated and seriously danceable, with the fresh air and greenery of the Ouseburn Valley adding something you simply cannot replicate indoors. Tickets run from £8 to £25 — an absolute steal for a Sunday afternoon that feels like a mini-festival.

GHOSTS OF GARAGE: Newcastle Launch w/ MJ COLE - FREE Entry — UK garage royalty MJ Cole rolls into Freight Island Newcastle from 5:00pm for the launch of Ghosts Of Garage in the city, and the entry is free — yes, actually free. MJ Cole helped write the soundtrack to a generation with that warm, soulful, skippy two-step sound, and hearing it live in a venue as atmospheric as Freight Island is the kind of evening you will be telling people about for weeks. Get there early; a free Cole show will not stay quiet for long.

Slow Mass + Outlander + Dish Texas — The Cluny is one of those venues that wraps itself around live music like it was built for nothing else, and from 7:00pm it hosts a three-band bill headlined by Slow Mass alongside Outlander and Dish Texas. Whether you are already a fan or just someone who loves discovering new guitar music on a Sunday night, this is the kind of intimate gig that reminds you why live music matters. Check the website for ticket prices and grab them before they go.