- BBC Proms comes to Sunderland for the first time, marking a cultural milestone for the North East
- The event at The Fire Station kicks off four-day BBC Proms in the North East with a programme of world-class music, from 24-27 July
- Jazz saxophonist, hip-hop artist, curator, and presenter Soweto Kinch hosts a special edition of his nightly BBC Radio 3 show ‘Round Midnight in Sunderland, a first for the city
- Special guests include NYC/LA-based jazz innovator Theo Croker, the Joe Webb Trio and Newcastle-based rising star Rivkala (24 July, The Fire Station, Sunderland)
- The festival offers a wide range of accessible performances, from classical and jazz to folk and family-friendly concerts, with tickets starting at £8.
This summer, the BBC Proms makes history in the North East. For the first time, the world-famous festival comes to Sunderland. Over four days from 24–27 July, audiences can enjoy live music across Gateshead and Sunderland in a unique regional programme.
The BBC Proms is the world’s biggest classical music festival, best known for its summer season at London’s Royal Albert Hall. In recent years, the Proms has grown beyond the capital to reach new audiences across the UK. In the North East, it has found a natural home.
The event signals a cultural milestone, not just for Sunderland, but for the entire region. Since 2022, The Glasshouse has been proud to bring the Proms to the region. What began as a single-venue partnership with the BBC has grown into a cross-city celebration of live music with The Fire Station now joining as a key partner.
Led by The Glasshouse in partnership with The Fire Station, this is the most ambitious Proms programming yet in the North East, building on three years of collaboration with the BBC. This expanded weekend of events reflects something bigger happening in the region: cultural organisations working together to share great music with more people, in more places.
For the first time, The Fire Station hosts the opening night of the Proms in Sunderland and Gateshead, on Thursday 24 July. Jazz saxophonist, hip-hop artist, curator and presenter Soweto Kinch headlines with his BBC Radio 3 ’Round Midnight Prom, joined by genre-defying trumpeter Theo Croker and the Joe Webb Trio. Opening the concert is rising North East talent Rivkala, who made a standout appearance on the BBC Introducing stage at last year’s Proms at The Glasshouse.
This exciting mix of music reflects the rich diversity and creative energy of Sunderland’s music scene, and its newly established status as a Music City. The concert will be recorded for national broadcast on BBC Radio 3, sharing the music with audiences across the UK.
Tamsin Austin, Venue Director, The Fire Station, said:
“To open the BBC Proms weekend in Sunderland and Gateshead here at The Fire Station is a proud and exciting moment. The Fire Station has always championed bold programming and brilliant artists, and this event is exactly that. Soweto Kinch’s Prom, featuring jazz / hip hop trumpeter Theo Croker, pianist Joe Webb’s dynamic trio, and our own Rivkala shows the talent and creative spirit we have in the city. We’re thrilled to be part of it.”
The Fire Station’s debut as a Proms venue brings the festival to new audiences – including many who may never have experienced a Prom before.
The BBC Proms continues founder Henry Wood’s mission to bring ‘the best classical music to the widest possible audience’ with accessible ticket prices, including promming (standing) tickets priced at £8. Last year, over 5,000 people attended concerts at The Glasshouse, with 3,500 experiencing the Proms for the first time. National broadcasts across BBC Radio 3 ensured that performances from Gateshead reached audiences far beyond the region.
Sam Jackson, Controller, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms, said:
“Bringing the BBC Proms to Sunderland is a major step in our mission to connect with more audiences across the UK. This collaboration with The Fire Station, The Glasshouse and Royal Northern Sinfonia offers audiences access to world-class music making on their doorstep, with every note broadcast on BBC Radio 3.”
Highlights at The Glasshouse
From Friday 25 to Sunday 27 July, The Glasshouse presents six major Proms concerts, with Royal Northern Sinfonia at the heart of the programme:
Friday 25 July: JADE & Royal Northern Sinfonia
BRIT Award-winning pop artist JADE joins Royal Northern Sinfonia for a one-night-only orchestral concert, featuring brand-new arrangements by Robert Ames, reimagined hits, and fresh material. This concert will be broadcast on BBC TV, live on BBC Radio 3, and on Sunday 27 July at 8pm on Radio 1.
Saturday 26 July: Angeline Morrison: The Sorrow Songs
Singer-songwriter Angeline Morrison brings her beautiful arrangements of folk songs of the Black British experience in The Sorrow Songs joined by The Sorrow Songs Band. Special guests include English folk legend Eliza Carthy and percussionist Alex Neilson. Broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.
Saturday 26 July: Bach and Mendelssohn with Royal Northern Sinfonia
Acclaimed Music Director Dinis Sousa leads Royal Northern Sinfonia, joined by pianist David Fray, mezzo-soprano Adèle Charvet, tenor Benjamin Hulett, and massed choirs including Huddersfield Choral Society in Mendelssohn’s vast and choral-symphonic Lobgesang (Hymn of Praise). Broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, with a TV broadcast to follow.
Sunday 27 July: CBeebies Wildlife Jamboree
Two performances of the CBeebies Prom: Wildlife Jamboree welcome younger families to join Duggee, the Squirrels, and CBeebies presenters Chantelle Lindsay and Puja Panchkoty, alongside Royal Northern Sinfonia.
Sunday 27 July: Sean Shibe and Friends
On Sunday afternoon, the festival closes with an imaginative performance from guitarist Sean Shibe and friends. Celebrating the centenary of Pierre Boulez’s birth, the programme features a performance of his acclaimed surrealist work, Le marteau sans maître, Cassandra Miller’s Bel canto and a BBC co-commission from Tyshawn Sorey. This concert will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.
Free music all weekend: the Concourse Stage returns with free music from BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists, alongside a BBC Young Composer workshop for under-18s (Sat 26 July).
This year’s BBC Proms weekend in Sunderland and Gateshead is a major cultural moment for Newcastle, Gateshead and Sunderland – reflecting the strength of local talent and collaboration. The festival also comes as the North East’s music scene gains momentum nationally, building on recent milestones including Sunderland named a Music City, the MOBO Awards coming to the region for the first time this year, Newcastle becoming home to the Mercury Prize, and the continued national success of North East artists like JADE and Sam Fender.
Abigail Pogson, Chief Executive, The Glasshouse, said:
“This year’s BBC Proms weekend shows that great music belongs everywhere. To see Sunderland host the opening night for the first time speaks to what’s possible through collaboration. It’s a powerful moment for music in the North East. It’s international, bold and diverse – exactly what we stand for here.”
According to UK Music’s 2023 report, music tourism to the North East rose by 29%, and events like the BBC Proms continue to raise the region’s profile as a vibrant cultural destination.
In 2023/24, The Glasshouse generated £14.1 million in social value, returning nearly £11 to the economy for every £1 of public funding. Every year, it contributes £38.6 million in economic value, help to create jobs, attract visitors and grow the region’s reputation as a must-visit location for music lovers.
Tickets for ‘Round Midnight with Soweto Kinch at The Fire Station are on sale now at:
Tickets for all events at The Glasshouse are on sale now at https://theglasshouseicm.org/seasons/bbc-proms-in-the-north-east/