For the next three weeks, Baltic, the Centre for Contemporary Arts, is inviting visitors to play by their own rules. Infinity Pitch is a new interactive art installation that is for everyone and open daily until Friday 15 April at Baltic on Gateshead Quays on NewcastleGateshead Quayside.
Play By Your Own Rules with Infinity Pitch at BALTIC this Easter
BALTIC is a major international centre for contemporary art situated on the south bank of the River Tyne in Gateshead, England and has welcomed over seven million visits since opening to the public in July 2002. It is home to 2,600 square metres of art space, making it the UK’s largest dedicated contemporary art institution, and is open 7 days a week, 362 days a year and is free to enter.
The Importance of Art
Although sometimes art and art education can be considered a luxury, rather than essential, simple creative activities are really important to a child's development. I believe learning to create and appreciate visual aesthetics is an important part of growing up. We are really lucky to have on our doorstep in Newcastle access to free art museums and galleries such as Laing, Hatton Gallery, Biscuit Factory and Baltic across the river in Gateshead.
Art can help develop motor skills simply by learning to hold a paintbrush or scribble with a crayon; help language development by talking about colours and what they see or create; strengthens problem-solving and critical-thinking skills; encourage creativity and inventiveness, and increases cultural awareness. I love that creativity is high on the agenda at my boys' primary school and the school is hosting a collective art exhibition this week with both pupils and parents artwork on show. Such a great initiative.
Infinity Pitch
The new exhibition at BALTIC in Gateshead opened on Saturday 24 March. It’s free and we were invited along to play by our own rules. Baltic very kindly provided us with a Bloggers Brekkie before letting us loose on Level 4.
Just arriving at BALTIC is a great experience, especially on a beautiful spring morning. The Gateshead Millennium Bridge was tilted creating great shapes and symmetry along the Quayside.
We later went to the outdoor viewing platform also on Level 4 of Baltic to take is the great river views and get up close to the birds nesting on the former flour mill on the south side of the River Tyne. During the Spring and early Summer months, the North Face of BALTIC is home to 700 breeding kittiwakes. The largest inland colony in the world.
We later went to the outdoor viewing platform also on Level 4 of Baltic to take is the great river views and get up close to the birds nesting on the former flour mill on the south side of the River Tyne. During the Spring and early Summer months, the North Face of BALTIC is home to 700 breeding kittiwakes. The largest inland colony in the world.
Play by your own rules is a three-week takeover of making and doing, completely free at BALTIC. Yes free, not just the exhibition itself but lots of artist-led workshops too, no booking required either, simply drop-in.
There are live action stations and big, fun, colourful inflatables across BALTIC’s largest gallery space, where the whole family can take part in activities where you can watch, listen, explore, improvise and play.
What did we find at Infinity Pitch?
Colour
Bright primary colours everywhere created a warm, inviting fun environment for the whole family.
Inflatables
Ones you can look at, ones you can wear, lie on and also ones you can help to grow. We can’t wait to go back in a week’s time and see where the artist has put Ben’s hexagon on this inflatable.
Tape – and lots of it.
Red, green, blue and yellow my boys spent a long time adding to the tape trails across the gallery floor, then following them and videoing their trail steps along the trails too.
Stickers
Piles of them ready to cover the pyramid bubble inside and out.
Encouragement
From staff helping visitors to engage with the creative stations to books to read on the importance of play. It is a very interactive, fun environment for all ages.
Fun
The boys were having such a lovely time they didn't want to leave but they had a STEM club to attend later that morning, but they have already asked to go back. I think we'll be making a few trips there over the Easter holidays.
Over the three weeks, the installations will grow and develop. When we were some of the first to arrive on Saturday morning many of the stations were untouched when we left a little developed but I’m really looking forward to returning over the next few weeks to see how the inflatables have developed, how many trails are on the floor, where the stickers and artwork have been placed.
Over the three weeks, the installations will grow and develop. When we were some of the first to arrive on Saturday morning many of the stations were untouched when we left a little developed but I’m really looking forward to returning over the next few weeks to see how the inflatables have developed, how many trails are on the floor, where the stickers and artwork have been placed.
What is Infinity Pitch?
Infinity Play is an interactive art exhibition at Baltic on Gateshead Quays that encourages young and old to play by their own rules. It has been created by artists Pester & Rossi and a group of collaborators to make, break and re-make the rules of play. Enjoy up to eight live action stations and big, fun, colourful inflatables across BALTIC’s largest gallery space, and take part in activities where you can watch, listen, explore, improvise and play.
Where is Infinity Pitch?
It is on Level 4 of Baltic. It is accessed by the glass lift, with amazing cityscape views or by stairs. The scenic lifts travel the height of the building at a speed of two metres per second. They are made of glass to provide panoramic views of the River Tyne.
When is Infinity Pitch Open?
It is open every day until Sunday 15 April. Baltic is open daily 10.00-18.00, except Tuesdays 10.30-18.00. Last entry 15 minutes before closing time. BALTIC is open on Good Friday and Easter Bank Holiday Monday as well as Easter Sunday.
When are the free Infinity Pitch artist-led workshops?
Explore Infinity Pitch with a series of free artist-led workshops, events and performances, suitable for all ages and abilities. The events will take place in the Level 4 gallery space, no booking required.
Sun 25 Mar 2pm - 4pm - Meet & Make
Making and creating with a BALTIC artist
Sat 31 Mar 2pm - 5pm - STASIS & Fritz Welch
Infinity Intensif performance and movement making workshop
Sun 1 Apr 2pm - 4pm - Meet & Make
Making and creating with a BALTIC artist
Sat 7 Apr 2pm - 5pm - Drone Ensemble
Infinity Ensemble experimental sound making workshop
Sun 8 Apr 2pm - 4pm - Meet & Make
Making and creating with a BALTIC artist
Sat 14 Apr 2pm - 5pm - Rhubaba
Infinity Pitch Choir collaborative singing and noise making workshop
Sun 15 Apr 12pm - 4pm - Meet & Make
Making and creating with a BALTIC artist
What facilities are there?
- There are male, female and unisex accessible toilets available on all floors except Level 5.
- Unisex baby changing facilities are available on the ground floor and in Quay, Level 2.
- A range of lockers are available to use on the ground floor of the building within gallery hours.
- BALTIC Kitchen is open seven days a week 10am – 5.30pm
- BALTIC Shop is open Daily 10am – 6pm
- BALTIC Library is open daily 10am – 6pm, except Tuesdays 10.30am -6pm
How Do I Get To Baltic?
BALTIC is situated on the Quayside in Gateshead, and accessible on foot, by car and by bus.
Just a short walk from the bus stations and metro stations in Gateshead Town Centre or Newcastle. The bright Yellow Quaylink buses run regularly along both banks of the river Tyne. And parking spaces are available in the BALTIC Car Park.
Deb x
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