Young people from Cowgate chose to work with artist Sarah Blood, who taught them neon glass making skills. Together, they designed the Cowgate Illuminations. 

A collaboration with the arts team from Newcastle City Council, Cowgate Illumination is a dazzling installation on an otherwise badly lit community centre. As an estate with a pretty poor rep, Cowgate Illuminations helped put it positively on the map.

A series of workshops, including using electroluminescent wire and torches to make light drawings came first, and a series of postcards in tourist info centres spread the word of the Illuminations city-wide.

Cowgate Illuminations was officially launched on the 12th December 2012 with The Big Switch On. We celebrated in style with UV Mocktails, neon cupcakes, Cushty Cafe Buffet and a Disco Inferno!

Cowgate Illuminations is on everyday from the hours of 6am – 10pm (British Summer Time) and 5am – 11pm (Greenwich Mean Time) and anyone and everyone is welcome to visit Cowgate Community Centre to see the work. 

Cowgate Illuminations, Cowgate Centre, Houghton Avenue, Cowgate, Newcastle, NE5 3HY