The opening event drew together artists from across the North in a celebration of the North’s past, present and future. Commissions included Lemn Sissay’s Anthem of the North, Maximo Park’s North by North East, Kate Rusby’s Secret Keeper with Royal Northern Sinfonia, Darkstar’s Since there is only you, Water Sculptures choreographed to the music, the UK’s first illuminated drone swarm performance from SKYMAGIC/NEWSUBSTANCE and pyrotechnics from Titanium streamed to an audience of tens of thousands through a partnership with BBC Live. Maximo Park performed live on working boat the Sir Bobby Robson.
Northern street artists and musicians entertaining the gathering crowds along the quayside included Mr Wilson’s Second Liners with Graham Massey, Dan Fox, Blast Furness, Artizani, Mind the Gap, Plungeboom, Thingumajig Theatre, Frolicked, Pif-Paf and Pete Moser.
Poet Lemn Sissay inspiring audiences at the Exhibition’s opening event with his Anthem of the North.
