BBC Proms Makes Its Sunderland Debut At The Fire Station

This summer, the BBC Proms will make history in the North East. For the first time, the world-famous festival comes to Sunderland. Over four days from 24–27 July, audiences can enjoy live music across Gateshead and Sunderland in a unique regional programme. 
 

The BBC Proms is the world's biggest classical music festival, best known for its summer season at London's Royal Albert Hall. In recent years, the Proms has grown beyond the capital to reach new audiences across the UK. In the North East, it has found a natural home. 

The event signals a cultural milestone, not just for Sunderland, but for the entire region. Since 2022, The Glasshouse has been proud to bring the Proms to the region. What began as a single-venue partnership with the BBC has grown into a cross-city celebration of live music with The Fire Station now joining as a key partner. 

Led by The Glasshouse in partnership with The Fire Station, this is the most ambitious Proms programming yet in the North East, building on three years of collaboration with the BBC. This expanded weekend of events reflects something bigger happening in the region: cultural organisations working together to share great music with more people, in more places.  

For the first time, The Fire Station hosts the opening night of the Proms in Sunderland and Gateshead, on Thursday 24 July. Jazz saxophonist, hip-hop artist, curator and presenter Soweto Kinch headlines with his BBC Radio 3 'Round Midnight Prom, joined by genre-defying trumpeter Theo Croker and the Joe Webb Trio. Opening the concert is rising North East talent Rivkala, who made a standout appearance on the BBC Introducing stage at last year's Proms at The Glasshouse. 
 

This exciting mix of music reflects the rich diversity and creative energy of Sunderland's music scene, and its newly established status as a Music City. The concert will be recorded for national broadcast on BBC Radio 3, sharing the music with audiences across the UK. 
 

Tamsin Austin, Venue Director, The Fire Station, said:

“To open the BBC Proms weekend in Sunderland and Gateshead here at The Fire Station is a proud and exciting moment. The Fire Station has always championed bold programming and brilliant artists, and this event is exactly that. Soweto Kinch's Prom, featuring jazz / hip hop trumpeter Theo Croker, pianist Joe Webb's dynamic trio, and our own Rivkala shows the talent and creative spirit we have in the city. We're thrilled to be part of it.” 
 

The Fire Station's debut as a Proms venue brings the festival to new audiences - including many who may never have experienced a Prom before. 
 

The BBC Proms continues founder Henry Wood's mission to bring ‘the best classical music to the widest possible audience' with accessible ticket prices, including promming (standing) tickets priced at £8. Last year, over 5,000 people attended concerts at The Glasshouse, with 3,500 experiencing the Proms for the first time. National broadcasts across BBC Radio 3 ensured that performances from Gateshead reached audiences far beyond the region.  
 

Sam Jackson, Controller, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms, said, “Bringing the BBC Proms to Sunderland is a major step in our mission to connect with more audiences across the UK. This collaboration with The Fire Station, The Glasshouse and Royal Northern Sinfonia offers audiences access to world-class music making on their doorstep, with every note broadcast on BBC Radio 3.” 

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