Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience announced for Utilita Arena Newcastle

The work of Vincent Van Gogh comes to life in the North East this summer as the immersive art experience heads to Newcastle

An immersive exhibition dedicated to the paintings of Vincent van Gogh will arrive in the North East this summer, transforming a major Newcastle venue into a vast, walk-through canvas of light, colour and sound.

Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience is scheduled to run at Utilita Arena Newcastle from 12 July to 9 August 2026, when the arena floor will be converted into a 10,000 sq ft projection space designed to surround visitors with animated versions of the Dutch artist’s work.

The production – which has already toured internationally and attracted millions of visitors – uses large-scale digital projections and a specially curated soundtrack to animate more than 300 of Van Gogh’s paintings. Images from some of his most recognisable works, including The Starry Night, Sunflowers and Café Terrace at Night, unfold across walls and floors as visitors move through the space.

Alongside the main projection gallery, visitors will pass through a reflective installation featuring a “Sunflower Alley” inspired by the artist’s celebrated still-life series. A programme of themed sessions is also planned throughout the run, including SEND-friendly visits, adults-only evening viewings and weekend immersive yoga events.

The show will take over the main floor of the Newcastle arena – better known for concerts and sporting events – in what organisers describe as an attempt to broaden the city’s cultural offering with large-scale visual art experiences.

The touring exhibition will also appear in Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena this summer, giving audiences in two English cities the chance to step inside the painter’s work.

Van Gogh, born in 1853, produced more than 2,000 works in just over a decade before his death in 1890. Although he struggled for recognition during his lifetime, his vivid palette, expressive brushwork and emotional intensity later secured his place among the most influential figures in modern art.