24NE Gallery Shines a Light on Sunderland Artists

Showcasing the artwork of 26 Sunderland talents, a new fine art gallery called 24 North East Collective held their grand opening recently on Fawcett Street.

24NE Gallery Collective on 2 Fawcett Street CREDIT: Isabel Vadillo

The newly opened gallery welcomed patrons and art lovers into their fresh space on Thursday November 20 from 6:30-8:30. This celebratory night reflected on the incredible journey that brought everyone involved together in the name of art, even the mayor showed up to cut the red ribbon.

Starting with an empty unit, the artists involved teamed together to build the amazing space from the ground up, along with making and curating their individual collections of work. The journey was not easy for them but transforming the unit from a fresh slate made the eventual opening so much more rewarding.

Contributing fine artist Dr Ron Lawson said: “It’s fantastic to share display space with some of the regions most talented artists, in fact it’s inspirational. It’s been hard work for us all to establish the gallery in such a short space of time, but the collaboration and collective creativity has paid off. This type of creative enterprise is a first for the region and reflects the amazing changes happening in Sunderland.”

24NE Gallery Collective is now open from 10-4 on Tuesdays to Saturdays for all visitors. There is a chance to purchase any of the art displayed starting from £90, and the works cover a range of mediums and styles including heritage-themed pieces and abstract shape pieces. You will find the new aesthetic hotspot at 2 Fawcett Street, Sunderland, SR1 1SJ where upcoming showcases and events have been promised.

During their months of hardwork, 24NE Collective started a 26 day countdown on social media to help get-to-know the artists who are bringing the project to life. Chris Cummings, a painter and print-maker whose work is based around North East landmarks and Sunderland AFC, said: “There has been a lot of planning and hardwork put into the project so now that it’s open to the public the initial feedback has been very positive. I’m looking forward to displaying new artwork in 2026.”

Ultimately, the goal of this newly opened gallery is to bring Sunderland’s high street back to life with art and creativity. Head over for a look at all the amazing work 24NE collective has to offer now.