Newcastle city centre to become one giant playground as NOVUM Summer Festival unveils first wave of programme
Newcastle City Council has unveiled the first wave of events for NOVUM Summer Festival 2026, a three-day takeover of culture, play and entertainment taking place across Newcastle city centre from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 August.
A city-wide playground of family friendly performance, creativity and fun
Across Friday 7 to Sunday 9 August, Newcastle city centre streets, squares, venues and unexpected places will become a giant playground of performance, creativity and community celebration, with a packed programme of free events designed to bring people together and to entertain.
Audiences can expect spectacular outdoor performances, large-scale installations, live music, hands-on workshops, family activities and playful adventures around every corner. #NOVUM26 promises something for everyone.
NOVUM Summer Festival is programmed and funded by Newcastle City Council's Cultural Events Team and supported using public funding by Arts Council England through National Lottery Project Grants and by the North East Mayoral Combined Authority, helping bring ambitious, high-quality cultural experiences to Newcastle.
Spectacular performances take over the city
At the heart of the festival is a free performing arts programme featuring theatre, dance, circus, live music and street performance from local, national and international artists.
Highlights include BLOCK by Motionhouse, an awe-inspiring outdoor dance-circus spectacular performed on and around twenty giant moving blocks; Possê by Sound de Secà, an explosive celebration of percussion, dance and collective joy; and Fabric of Us, a joyful performance from North East artists Lizzie Klotz and Luca Rutherford exploring connection and community through movement, music and a giant white parachute.
Across the weekend, audiences can stumble across curious travellers in Kamchàtka, join the playful rebels of TRUTH!, dance alongside Curious Arts’ Wheelie Proud, shake their tail feathers at a Bird Rave, or follow the sounds of roaming brass bands through the city streets.
Family fun and creative play
For families, Playing Out at Newcastle Civic Centre will be packed with free activities including mud kitchens, den building, giant swings, face painting, giant bubbles, colourful theatre and playground games. Visitors can also help create a festival-sized artwork in Colour Outside the Lines, a giant outdoor colouring experience designed by North East artists Josie Brookes and Tom Madge.
Explore Newcastle in new ways
Creative experiences continue across the city with A Room In Bloom, a stunning installation blending fresh flowers grown by Newcastle community growers and paper art inside Highbridge Works; Reshaping the Toon, a community- co-created paper Newcastle at City Library; and Portals, a series of colourful and very Instagrammable interactive installations filled with Newcastle stories, sounds and playful surprises.
Those looking to explore can set off on The Secret Parade, a city centre family art trail starting outside Brunswick Church uncovering Newcastle's medieval hidden history, or pop on a headset for North East Theatre Company The Six Twenty’s You Are Here: NOVUM, an immersive audio experience transforming familiar streets into a living map of stories, memories and unexpected encounters.
Cllr Rob Austin, Culture, Communities and Youth Services at Newcastle City Council said: "NOVUM Summer Festival is a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to come together and enjoy everything our city centre has to offer.
“With a programme full of creative activities, performances and experiences, there's something for everyone to get involved in, whether you're discovering something new, spending time with family and friends, or simply enjoying the atmosphere.
"Events like this play an important role in bringing people into the city centre, supporting local businesses and showcasing the incredible creativity and talent we have here in Newcastle.
“We're proud to support a free festival that celebrates our city's culture, communities and vibrant spirit, while creating memorable experiences for residents and visitors alike."
Dominoes Newcastle - #NOVUM26 finale
The festival's headline event, Dominoes Newcastle by internationally acclaimed artists Station House Opera, will take place on Sunday 9 August across Newcastle’s City Centre.
Thousands of breeze blocks will create a moving sculpture stretching across Newcastle city centre before cascading through the streets in a spectacular chain reaction. Built with the help of hundreds of volunteers, Dominoes Newcastle promises to be one of the most ambitious public artworks ever staged in the city and the unforgettable finale to the festival weekend.
Jane Tarr, Director North East, Arts Council England said: “NOVUM is a fantastic opportunity for people across the North East region to enjoy artists’ work, performances and creative events as part of a celebratory free festival programme in Newcastle. I’m pleased that we have supported the festival through our National Lottery Place Partnership programme and I’m sure the weekend will bring together creators, participants and audiences to create memorable experiences for people of all ages.”
Whilst most of the programme has now been revealed, organisers have confirmed that further events and announcements will be added throughout July.
Most events are free and unticketed unless otherwise stated. For full programme information visit www.novumnewcastle.com
