Through material play and creative research, the show will feature work by Primary resident and member artists—Louisa Chambers, Craig Fisher, Lynn Fulton and Sam Metz—across Gallery 1 and 2, exploring the word ‘flat’ in two distinct contexts.
An afternoon of exchange and collective action — bringing together organisations committed to social justice in the arts. Together we’ll share practices that have sparked real change, learn from one another’s journeys, and imagine what a radically different future for the sector could look like.
Uncanny Christmas, Primary’s artist-run weird winter party is back for another year! Our annual fundraiser planned and executed by our resident community is now live. This year’s theme is ALWAYS UNCANNY.
Join us Saturday 6th December, 7PM – 1AM, to celebrate seasonal strangeness at our indoor festival with special guest DJs, themed bars in our artists' studios, live art games, tarot readings, a far-out photo-booth, our amazing raffle, and dancing into the night.
Primary’s residents and members open their studios to the public, offering a behind the scenes look at their creative practices and transforming Primary Open into a vibrant, community led exchange of ideas. The event celebrates the diverse range of artistic approaches within the Primary community.
When is red red, and when is red… purple or orange or pink or peach or brick or maroon or blush or plum? Join us in this colour- obsessed workshop to explore the mysteries of the historic British dye plant ‘madder’ and some of its relatives…
Join Open Arms Organisation for the Cycle Cycle programme. For this event, Bikes Love You will guide a community bike ride will take us on a quiet route from Primary to Wollaton Park, where we’ll take a look at some of the magical trees and share autumnal stories.
Join Newcastle writer and poet - Tahmina Ali - to learn how to add flair, style and a bit of you into your writing.
We’re excited to announce that Primary Lates is back! We’re opening up exhibitions across Primary, Beam and TG for a late-night event, with music and drinks.
Free weekly drop-in play sessions running on Wednesdays after school. Join play workers for adventurous outdoor play, art, crafts , games and forest school activities. These sessions are part of the Community Takeover programme at Primary.
Join Plant Dye Studio for a deep dive into the rich mysteries of blue-bearing dye plants, including British woad and Japanese indigo.
Team up with your child and join Assunta and Lou, an artist mother and daughter duo, for a hands-on workshop exploring digital and traditional media.
Join Studio A4 residents Amina Seid Tahir & Adam Seid Tahir for tea and small bites as they share their work from their residency at Primary. It’ll consist of early drafts, a soundscape and a small installation of soil and light.
Join us for an afternoon of art, games, music and food whilst exploring Primary’s outdoor spaces. We’re excited to collaborate with The Toy Library, Open Arms Arms Organisation, Heya and Refugee Roots to bring you this fun community day.
Join us for drop-in gardening activities in the Primary garden - with an opportunity to learn more about growing vegetables, fruit, flowers and dye plants, and gardening in small urban spaces.
Take part in this immersive workshop run by Plant Dye Studio, covering the essential foundations of plant dyeing.
Welcome to Primary’s latest event, a live listening session featuring the talented Stockholm-based artist Santiago Mostyn!
Permeating within Gallery 2 during the exhibition Small Mercies is an evolving and ‘trickling’ installation of moving image from Matthew Arthur Williams and others. Between 3 - 5 and 17 - 19 July, you can see Rhea Storr’s new film, Subjects of State, Labours of Love (2025).
A day to celebrate nature in the city and take part in a community Bioblitz – to discover and record the plants, fungi, insects and animals on Primary’s site. Throughout the day we’ll be joined by nature enthusiasts and experts to explore what’s living on our doorstep. From 2-4pm there will be creative family activities - celebrating wildlife in urban spaces.
Permeating within Gallery 2 during the exhibition Small Mercies is an evolving and ‘trickling’ installation of moving image from Matthew Arthur Williams and others. Between 3 - 5 and 17 - 19 July, you can see Rhea Storr’s new film, Subjects of State, Labours of Love (2025).
Join artist Priya Mistry (whatsthebigmistry) and guests for an afternoon of food, music and celebration - to mark the end of Mother Tongue: The Kitchen Residency, a collaboration between whatsthebigmistry, Primary and members of our community. This gathering will create space to share knowledge and culture through food, language, music and hands-on activities.
Join Open Arms Organisation for the next session of the Cycle Cycle programme. These free sessions promote healthy living and offers a supportive and accessible space to increase cycling confidence and join community bike rides. There will also be free health screenings on offer.
Permeating within Gallery 2 during the exhibition Small Mercies is an evolving and ‘trickling’ installation of moving image from Matthew Arthur Williams and others. Between 19 - 21 June, you can see Caribbean Voices (2011), a film produced by Monienne Stone and Ray Johnson, founder of Staffordshire Film Archive.
Small Mercies is the first solo show in England by Glasgow-based artist Matthew Arthur Williams. Spanning both galleries at Primary, the exhibition combines new printed media, sound and moving image.
Free weekly drop-in play sessions running on Wednesdays after school. Join play workers for adventurous outdoor play, art, crafts , games and forest school activities. These sessions are part of the Community Takeover programme at Primary.
Join us for En Masse, an eccentric blowout—a mix between the legacies of the Carnivalesque and Mas Bands. 45 masquerades parade; DJs and open-air live music and poetry will play all night against the backdrop of an expansive garden.
Come to our playground.
Join Open Arms Organisation for the next session of the Cycle Cycle programme. These free sessions promote healthy living and offers a supportive and accessible space to increase cycling confidence and join community bike rides. There will also be free health screenings on offer.
Join us at Windmill Community Gardens for a plant and seed swap. Bring along spare seeds and plants you’d like to swap. If you don’t have any, you are welcome to take plants home and give a donation if you are able.
Free weekly drop-in play sessions running on Wednesdays after school. Join play workers for adventurous outdoor play, art, crafts , games and forest school activities. These sessions are part of the Community Takeover programme at Primary.
Join Jake, Elin & Will FROMTHEGROUNDUP for making and mending sessions with some debate and discussion around materials, culture and beyond!
When the cherry blossoms in Christ Church Gardens, we will meet under the trees. Future Machine will appear and something will happen.
Join Open Arms Organisation for the first session of the Cycle Cycle programme. These free sessions promote healthy living and offers a supportive and accessible space to increase cycling confidence and join community bike rides. There will also be free health screenings on offer.
Join us for drop-in gardening activities in the Primary garden - with an opportunity to learn more about growing vegetables, fruit, flowers and dye plants, and gardening in small urban spaces.
Join us for a conversation in Primary’s Studio A4 between exhibiting artist Maia Ruth Lee and curator Jade Foster on the opening weekend of the exhibition Human Life in Motion.
Artists Mentoring Curators is a series of conversations and is part of our Artist Development Programme.
