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A ground-breaking centrepiece for Expo Sunderland, this striking modern structure features one of the UK’s largest semi-transparent LED screens, measuring an impressive 20m x 5m.
Beneath the screen, a versatile events space offers endless possibilities for showcases, experiences, product launches and gatherings, making it a hub of creativity and engagement.
The Pavilion’s programme promises to captivate and engage visitors through an exciting mix of exhibitions and live events.
Situated in Keel Square, Sunderland, the Expo Sunderland Pavilion is set to redefine the heart of the city with its pioneering programme fusing arts, culture, music and innovative technology.
The location is Riverside Sunderland - the UK’s most ambitious city centre regeneration project, creating a carbon neutral urban quarter at the heart of the city.
In collaboration with Culture House, the Expo Sunderland Pavilion will host a series of inspiring multimedia showcases and events throughout 2025, providing the local community and visitors the chance to see how sustainable technologies and innovative storytelling techniques can be used to shape and influence our lives.
Screen programme
Continually evolving and changing over time, this programme highlights how the globalisation of arts and culture can influence, inspire, and encourage us to bring a blend of local and international styles, tastes, and perspectives into our daily lives and practices - to improve our wellbeing, sense of ‘home’, and vision towards future living and environment.
The Expo Sunderland Pavilion offers engaging interactive experiences where visitors can explore emerging technologies, try hands-on activities and immerse themselves in digital storytelling, bringing the world of creativity and innovation to life.
Featuring 360º cameras, integrated sound, and dynamic digital signage, it responds in real time to audiences.
The Culture House events programme will bring a wide range of vibrant and dynamic exhibitions, performances and community-led activities to the Expo Sunderland Pavilion.
Designed to foster creativity, it will provide a welcoming space for residents and visitors alike to experience Sunderland’s rich culture and creativity.
The music events programme will showcase Sunderland’s rich musical heritage and vibrant creative community.
Recently awarded 'Music City' status, this global recognition makes Sunderland only the second UK city to join this prestigious collective, celebrating the city’s proud musical history and its ongoing commitment to nurturing local talent.
What's On guide
Monday 24 - Thursday 27 February
Bright Lights Youth Arts Festival takes place over February half term every year, and is a celebration of the creativity of young people from across Washington and Sunderland.
Check out some of the artwork made by young people about issues that are important to them in this window exhibition at the Expo Pavilion.
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Friday 28 February - Sunday 2 March
Friday and Saturday 10.30am-5pm
Sunday 10am-2.30pm
Climb on board a playground swing for a very special adventure this weekend. Launch, flap, soar, glide, bank, and weave your way across psychedelic skies in one of four Da Vinci flying machines in an award-winning VR experience designed to inspire! Free, drop in. Wheelchair accessible swing bay available.
VOLO: Dreams of Flight
Friday 28 February - Sunday 2 March
Friday and Saturday 10.30am-5pm
Sunday 10am-2.30pm
Climb on board a playground swing for a very special adventure this weekend. Launch, flap, soar, glide, bank, and weave your way across psychedelic skies in one of four Da Vinci flying machines in an award-winning VR experience designed to inspire! Free, drop in. Wheelchair accessible swing bay available.
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Friday 7 March
6pm-8pm
Speed Arting is a unique networking experience for creatives looking to meet others in the arts, find collaborators, or grow their creative community. Whether you’re seeking your tribe, potential collaborators, or just someone to share ideas with over coffee, this event is perfect for you. £5, book in advance
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Pink Collar Creative Art Fair
Saturday 15 March
12noon – 3pm
Discover local artists, view amazing artwork created by talented artists from the North East, learn and be inspired!
Gain insights into how these creatives broke into the art world. Hear their tips and advice in an informal, friendly setting. Perfect for aspiring artists, families, and anyone curious about creative career paths.
A unique opportunity to explore creative possibilities for yourself or your kids! Free, drop in.
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The Art Room: Future Fashions Exhibition
Sunday 16 March – Friday 21 March
Fashion of the future, by fashion designers of the future! Young people from across Sunderland have been working with The Art Room to explore how new technology can bring life back into waste products, creating innovative and experimental fashion design. Come and see what they have been up to through the Expo Sunderland Pavilion windows.
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10am-4pm
Join the Waste Not collective for a dazzling day of upcycling inspiration, learning & making.
Six local, creative & eco-friendly businesses will be taking over the Expo Pavilion with a rolling programme of 12 live upcycling demos as well as six 'try it yourself' upcycling stations.
There will also be a market of eco-friendly makers & sellers.
No booking required.
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Curious Histories
Sunday 23 March
11am-3pm
Bring your important object to be photographed and digitally stored in our evolving LGBTQIA+ digital archive. It might be the first outfit you wore in public when you truly felt yourself, a photograph from your wedding day, or an item that helps you feel safe wherever you are. Bring your chosen item, share your story, and we’ll preserve these together.
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Happy as the Day is Long
Sunday 23 March
10am-4pm daily
Happy as the Day is Long is a breath taking larger-than-life mirror-ball which will transform the Expo Sunderland Pavilion into an enchanting environment.
The artwork sets the stage for a pop-up silent disco where you can grab a pair of headphones and immerse yourself in the uplifting energy of one of our Happy playlists – guaranteed to lift your spirits!
Suitable for all ages, free, drop-in
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Mushroom Sculpt: Make a Sculpture
Saturday 5 April
1pm-3pm
Join Culture House and Threads in the Ground for a lovely, hands-on workshop where you will become one of the makers of a new eco sculpture for Sunderland.
An experience for all ages, this will be an introduction to the incredible world of fungus, to climate hope, and to a new sculpture for Sunderland, made by you.
Free event. Booking recommended
Suitable for all ages
Mushroom Sculpt
Saturday 5 April - Thursday 24 April
Daily
Climate hope organisation 'Threads in the Ground' have been working with Sunderland communities to design a new living modular sculpture that will be displayed in the Expo Sunderland Pavilion in April. Created by Sunderland residents from ''Mycelium Based Material” (MBM) - dense matts of fungus grown within moulds – this sculpture will go on to fruit edible mushrooms and will then naturally compost.
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Mushroom Tales: Fungus Family Storytelling workshop with Threads in the Ground
Tuesday 22 April
11am-12noon and 12.30pm-1.30pm
This Earth Day, come and visit our LIVING mycelium sculpture - and help tell a new story about the things you love about your world!
Led by Olly from Threads in the Ground, in this family workshop you will learn about the magical powers of mushrooms to build, make art, feed people, and support the planet - and then you will work together to write (and illustrate!) a story on the windows of the Expo Pavilion.
Designed for families age 5+
Free event. Booking recommended (walk-ups welcomed)
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Interactive Easter Activity
Friday 25 April 2025
11am - Toddler and infant-friendly interactive session (under 6 yrs)
1pm - Junior interactive session (over 6 yrs)
11am to 2pm - Kids’ workshops and Easter characters
We’re inviting residents and visitors to experience something magical in the heart of Sunderland this Easter – a live, interactive avatar experience at the Expo Sunderland Pavilion
On Friday 25 April, families visiting Keel Square can meet and chat with two playful digital characters, brought to life on screen in real time using cutting-edge motion capture technology.
A live actor in a motion capture suit will control the avatars remotely, interacting with children and passers-by for a truly one-of-a-kind experience.
What to expect:
· Two live avatar interaction sessions using real-time motion capture
· 11:00am slot: toddler and infant-friendly (under 6 yrs)
· 1:00pm slot: tailored for junior-aged children (6-10 years)
· Kids’ workshops and Easter characters between 11am and 2pm
· Easter egg hunt during both sessions
· Free to attend – no booking required!
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Arty Party Family Fun
Saturday 26 April 2025
11am-3pm
Join The Art Cafe for some arty family fun at the Expo Sunderland Pavilion this Easter! Make, create, draw, play and party like the artist you are. All materials provided - bring your whole family and get stuck in!
Drop in, no booking required
Suitable for families
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Behind the Art
Monday 28 April – Friday 2 May
Daily
"Behind the Art" is a compelling photography exhibition by Claire Louise Photography, offering a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the lives and creative processes of underrepresented artists from the North East. Through candid imagery, the exhibition celebrates their talent, resilience, and contributions to the region’s thriving cultural scene.
Behind the Art
Monday 28 April – Friday 2 May
Daily
"Behind the Art" is a compelling photography exhibition by Claire Louise Photography, offering a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the lives and creative processes of underrepresented artists from the North East. Through candid imagery, the exhibition celebrates their talent, resilience, and contributions to the region’s thriving cultural scene.
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VE Day's 80th anniversary celebrations
Thursday 8 May
11am - 10pm
A shared moment of celebration. Get ready for a day packed with events that honour the past and bring our community together. From a flag-raising ceremony, street party and concert, there's a chance for everyone to get involved and enjoy this important celebration.
Join us for a day of remembrance, celebration, and community spirit!
9am: Raising of the VE Day Flag at City Hall, a moment of national unity and remembrance.
From 11:00am: Keel Square comes alive with a fantastic VE Day atmosphere! Come and see authentic World War 2 vehicles and uniformed personnel, a classic double-decker bus, and plenty of VE Day bunting. Relax in our deck chairs and at picnic tables while you're there. Don't miss the Women's Institute in the Pavilion beneath the EXPO screen, where you can enjoy a charitable cake sale, try your luck at the tombola, see craft demonstrations, and explore their wartime history. Plus, grab a bite of history with some delicious fish and chips from a vintage van - a wartime treat that became a national favourite!
12pm: National 2 minute silence for reflection and remembrance.
1:20pm: It's eyes to the sky as we try to catch a glimpse of The Tiger Moth MSN plane as it embarks on it's flyover from Sunderland docks to The Pavilion Community Hub.
4-6pm: Get ready to celebrate! Keel Square will burst into life as a fantastic VE Day Street Party venue. Enjoy a packed programme featuring singers, dynamic dance troupes, a classic Punch and Judy show, talented face painters, and towering stilt walkers.
6-6:45pm: Sunderland Minster Thanksgiving Service honouring the men and women of Sunderland whose sacrifices made the peace possible - but above all, celebrating the resilience, courage and spirit, which marked the people of this city then, and which continue to burn brightly within Sunderland's people and communities now!
7pm: Don't miss the special VE Day Concert at The Fire Station! This ticketed event promises a memorable evening with vintage singers, readings and will be hosted by Alfie Joey.
9:30pm: The day will conclude with a poignant Lighting of the Lanterns of Peace. Simultaneously, monuments across Sunderland will be illuminated, creating a powerful city-wide symbol of peace and remembrance.
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Sunderland Shorts Film Festival Poster Exhibition
Monday 12 - Sunday 18 May
Daily
We’re holding a special exhibition of film posters at the Expo Sunderland Pavillion representing over 60 films which are showing across the Sunderland Shorts Film Festival this year. As well as celebrating these fantastic pieces of poster art, this will give audiences a feel of the types of short films, animations and music videos they will be able to experience across the festival.
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80 Candles for 80 Years
Monday 19 - Tuesday 27 May
Daily
‘80 Candles for 80 Years’ has involved 80 communities and organisations across the UK who have created unique candleholders, each one inspired by the life story of Jewish people murdered during the Holocaust, and other individuals targeted by the Nazi regime. The result is a moving and beautiful collection that has united communities in a collective act of remembrance, honouring the victims and standing as a beacon of hope for the future.
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Live screening: Sunderland AFC Play-Off Final
Saturday 24 May
1pm
A live screening of Sunderland AFC's play-off final against Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium will be shown on the Expo Pavilion Screen in Keel Square this Saturday 24 May.
The screening is an opportunity for residents and visitors to watch the match for free in the heart of the city.
The viewing area on Keel Square will open from 1pm ahead of the 3pm kick off and will remain open 'til the end. Within the square there will be an accessible area and family friendly area with limited seating throughout.
A small number of food vendors will be available on the day, serving food items to buy.
Under-18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult, and proof of age may be requested.
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Thursday 12 - Thursday 19 June
Daily
In his work, Sunderland University graduate Albert Bennett-Cowell brings classical and modern techniques together in a distinctive, eclectic painting style.
Albert’s practise is best described as a postmodern collage and painting practice, based on a foundation of drawing and painting, and covers a wide range of disciplines such as printmaking, collage and sculpture. New Landscapes is a body of work that explores contrast, scale and material techniques.
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Saturday 21 June
11am – 3pm
Discover the beat of the city at Music Connects Stages – an interactive music experience at the Expo Sunderland Pavilion.
In celebration of Make Music Day, the Pavilion invites young music makers to a unique creative event. Inside the Pavilion, children can get hands-on with professional music production software to create their own tracks in a fun and welcoming environment. Later, these tracks will be brought to life as DJs spin them live outside in Keel Square, turning the event into a collaborative city-centre soundtrack.
Whether you book your place for the morning session from 11am to 12pm or drop in during the open sessions from 1pm to 3pm, this free event is designed to spark creativity and bring the community together through music and technology. No previous experience or equipment is needed… just bring your imagination!
This event is hosted in partnership with Music Connects Sunderland (formerly Sunderland Music Hub) and forms part of the Pavilion’s ongoing programme to inspire and engage through digital innovation.
To get involved, simply book your spot for the morning session online or drop in during the afternoon open sessions. All are welcome to join in and experience the power of music, community and technology at the Expo Sunderland Pavilion.
Book now! Music Production Workshop
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Monday 23 June - Wednesday 25 June
Step into a living scrapbook of audio stories and memories, right here in Sunderland!
This brand new geo-tagged audio trail transforms our city streets into a vibrant soundscape of local voices, hidden histories, and unexpected conversations.
It's your chance to "choose your own adventure" with sound! Discover untold stories from Keel Square to the Fire Station, Sunderland Empire, and Sunderland Minster, all at your own pace.
The full interactive experience is accessible via the free Echoes app on your smartphone (headphones recommended), or you can listen to all audio directly on the project's website: https://thesixtwenty.com/you-are-here-sunderland
At the Pavilion, you can also:
Connect with the creative team behind the magic.
Get hands-on and learn more about the innovative geo-tagging technology. Just bring your smartphone and headphones, and we'll be there to show you the ropes!
Explore the art of creating audio trails and preserving local memories.
Try out our "Trail in a Box" experience, bringing the project directly to your community.
You can also contribute your own unique stories to Sunderland's living history!
On Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 June, join our dedicated drop-in sessions from 10 AM to 1:30 PM to delve deeper into the project. For the full schedule of activities and specific timings across all three days, please visit our website: www.thesixtwenty.com and social media channels closer to the launch dates.
Come on down and see Sunderland with fresh ears and new eyes!
Project Credits
Created By: The Six Twenty in partnership with Sunderland Youth Council and Together for Children.
Funded By: Historic England's History in the Making grant programme and supported by Arts Council England.
For the full schedule of activities and specific timings across all three days, please visit the website www.thesixtwenty.com and social media channels closer to the launch dates.
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Thursday 26 June
4-8pm
Presented by Pink-Collar Gallery | Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Over the past six months, Working Lass has been a powerful journey—shining a light on the vital contributions of working-class women across the North East. From grassroots activism to community care, cultural organising to charitable work, these stories reflect the heart and soul of collective liberation.
The project began with a series of community-led nomination workshops, where local residents came together to honour women and groups whose work has made a real impact. These memories and tributes were gathered into a collaborative scrapbook, celebrating the women who’ve shaped our past and present. A community panel then selected ten standout individuals and collectives whose legacies continue to inspire.
This June, we launched the second stage: a joyful series of free zine-making workshops led by artist Miki Rogers at HILLS Arts Centre, Sunderland. Participants reflected on the lives and work of the nominated women, celebrated their own heroines, and created zines that carry these stories forward—with crafts, conversation, and plenty of cake.
And now, we’re excited to invite you to the grand final of the project:
🌐 Working Lass Online Archive Launch & Celebration
📍 The Pavilion, Sunderland
🗓️ Thursday 26th June
🕓 4–8pm
🎟️ Free & open to all!
Join us for an evening of reflection, creativity, and celebration as we officially launch the Working Lass online archive. This living, growing collection honours the voices and efforts of working-class women across the North East—and this event is just the beginning.
What to expect:
📚 A display of the community scrapbook and zines made during our workshops
📝 Forms and prompts to nominate even more women and expand the archive
🍽️ Free food, drinks, music, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere
Let's gather to honour these stories, connect across generations, and celebrate the enduring strength and creativity of working-class women.
Come for the archive—stay for the movement. 💪
This project is proudly supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Tuesday 8 - Sunday 20 July
Daily
Pink-Collar Gallery CIC is an innovative art organisation dedicated to promoting underrepresented voices and using art as a platform for equality. Founded by Sunderland-based curator Michaela Wetherell, the gallery stems from her passion for addressing female underrepresentation in the arts and exploring the importance of working-class identity.
Pink-Collar’s mission is to challenge the barriers within the arts by creating opportunities for working-class artists, fostering creative growth, and amplifying marginalised perspectives.
Through a robust exhibition program, the Gallery focusses on themes such as the underrepresentation of women in the arts and the rich narratives of working-class identity. By hosting exhibitions and facilitating community workshops in Sunderland, they aim to break down the misconception that art is exclusive and instead inspire people to engage with and enjoy creative expression.
Considered to be the most ambitious city centre regeneration project in the UK, Sunderland is on track to become one of the UK’s most advanced smart cities.
Committed to smart, sustainable growth, and focussed on community life, leisure and culture, Riverside Sunderland is transforming into the UK’s first sustainable carbon neutral urban quarter, a unique and extraordinary place to live, work and play.
Sunderland has established itself as a frontrunner in smart city innovations, leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance the lives of its residents and drive economic growth. Reaffirming its position as a national leader in smart city innovations.
Our story of ambition and innovation is setting a new precedent when it comes to digital transformation.
A growing citywide event programme designed for residents and businesses to experience the city's incredible transformation. It is attracting people, brands, industries and government from the region, the UK, and beyond.
Expo Sunderland is anchored around three core themes, each offering transformative experiences for visitors: Future Home, Future Living and Future City.
Opening autumn 2025, Culture House will sit at the heart of Riverside Sunderland, providing a vibrant, dynamic and engaging space for residents and visitors.
It will be your living room, free and open for everyone across Sunderland - whether you are a young family, a growing business, a young person, student or anyone of any age.
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