Vane

Vane began in 1997 as a series of artist-led exhibitions staged in empty buildings around Newcastle, at a time when the city had little institutional support for contemporary art. Director Paul Stone was among the artists who ran those early events before the group settled into a permanent gallery in 2005. Now based within the Orbis community of studios on Gateshead High Street, Vane shows a rotating roster of North East, UK and international artists and gives some studio-based artists workspace alongside the exhibition programme. Unlike a commercial gallery reliant on collectors, Vane operates as a not-for-profit company, Vane Contemporary Art Ltd, run by its directors rather than external curators. Exhibitions change every few weeks and are free to visit, drawing artists and students from across Tyneside.