12:20PM, Fri Sep 21, 2012

Secret Rooftop Garden Overlooking Tyne Bridge Gets Ready For Action

By Chris Hoy Location: Newcastle

VIDEO: The transformation of the rooftop garden

A rooftop garden overlooking the Tyne Bridge is being transformed into an open-air venue.

The Side Gallery and Cinema on Newcastle’s Quayside is looking for new ways to raise funds after its Arts Council funding was cut.

Staff are now tackling the overgrown area and converting it into an events space.

Amber Collective member Graeme Rigby said: “The garden has been part of Amber since it bought these premises in the mid 70s.

“We’re fundraising at the moment and we’ve just launched a Crowdfunding bid for our new feature film and we’re doing a lot with the gallery and the cinema.

"It helps to have somewhere really nice for people to come to.”

Collective member Kerry Lowes said: “We’re looking at ideas for how we can use the garden, but there are lots of possibilities so watch this space.”

An Arts Council England spokesperson said: “The Arts Council has continued to work with The Side since its regular funding was cut in 2011, exploring fundraising and other options to diversify income streams for the venue.

"In the last year the Arts Council has made a direct contribution to this work through our flagship Grants for the Arts funding programme, continuing support for The Side and its ambitions.”

The garden has been used for music in the past. Songs from the Secret Garden 2011 can be seen at http://www.sidetv.net/channel7.