Sage Gateshead

The safety of our audiences, artists and staff remains our top priority. In line with the government’s new measures to contain the Omicron spread in our communities, we have adjusted our safety measures, to continue to ensure everyone can have a safe and enjoyable visit to Sage Gateshead.

We have measures in place to protect audiences, artists and staff including:

• From Friday 10 December, face coverings are compulsory at all times for anybody aged 11+ at Sage Gateshead – except when eating, drinking or taking part in a singing class, or if you are exempt.
• From Thursday 16 December, the NHS Covid Pass will be a mandatory entry requirement for adults aged 18+ at Sage Gateshead. We will be carrying out spot checks, so please come prepared to show your NHS Covid Pass when asked.
• Enhanced cleaning
• Hand sanitising stations throughout the venue
• Clear signage to avoid overcrowding
• Pre-booking interval drinks to avoid overcrowding
• All staff will continue to wear face coverings and undergo regular testing

We continue to follow government guidance and regulation, in co-operation with Gateshead Council and the public health authorities and will make adjustments to our plans as required.

We will pay particular attention to how we best respond to the new barriers faced by disabled people and those who are particularly vulnerable amongst our audiences, artists and team. We support the ‘7 Principles to ensure an inclusive recovery’ (Arts Council England) and will consider carefully how to ensure equal opportunities to enjoy live music during the recovery.

Through the careful monitoring and regular maintenance of our building management system we ensure that our air handling units within each of our halls operate to the highest standard, meeting and exceeding all necessary guidelines.

In line with government guidelines, we will accept the NHS Covid Pass on the NHS app, a PDF print out from the NHS app with current dates, or an NHS Covid Pass letter. An NHS Covid Pass letter can be obtained by calling 119 (please allow sufficient time).

As per government guidance, a valid text or email confirmation from NHS Test and Trace can also be used as proof a person has completed a negative PCR test or negative lateral flow test within the past 48 hours.

The NHS Covid Pass can (among others) display proof of full vaccination, or a negative lateral flow test taken within 48 hours.

Further information on the NHS Covid Pass can be found on the NHS website: Getting a digital NHS COVID Pass and Get your NHS COVID Pass letter.

Our team will be carrying out spot checks so please come prepared to show your NHS Covid Pass if asked.

In line with the government’s latest announcements, from Thursday 16 December, the NHS Covid Pass will be a mandatory requirement for entry to Sage Gateshead or a negative lateral flow test result obtained within the last 48 hours. Our team will be carrying out spot checks, so please come prepared to show your NHS Covid pass to our Customer Experience and Security team if asked.

We will accept the NHS Covid Pass on the NHS app, a PDF print out from the NHS app with current dates, or an NHS Covid Pass letter. An NHS Covid Pass letter can be obtained by calling 119 (please allow sufficient time).

We can also accept negative lateral flow test results obtained within the last 48 hours that are shown via an email or text from the government reporting system.

The NHS Covid Pass can (among others) display proof of full vaccination, or a negative lateral flow test taken within 48 hours.

These measures have been put in place to keep yourself and other music fans, staff and artists safe during the festive period, and we hope everybody will play their part.

Those who do not wish to comply when asked will not be able to enter Sage Gateshead, and they will not receive a refund.

As part of our commitment to keep everyone at Sage Gateshead safe, all staff, artists, crew and contractors accessing the building via Stage Door will continue to be required to show proof of a negative lateral flow test (taken within the last four days) to the Security Team at Stage Door to gain access to the building.

Tests are available online with this link Order coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow tests – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) or call 119, and you will receive a pack of 7 tests to be delivered to your home free of charge, alternatively you can collect tests from a participating pharmacy. Find a pharmacy near you where you can collect rapid tests.

In line with the government’s latest announcements, from Friday 10 December, face coverings in venues will be compulsory. We will require anybody aged 11+ entering Sage Gateshead to wear a face covering at all times, including during performances – except when eating, drinking or taking part in a singing class, or if you are exempt.

Our Customer Experience team will monitor face coverings at the entrances and in the building. Anybody who does not want to comply when asked, will be politely asked to leave and will not receive a refund.

Because we have large crowds entering the building (audiences going to concerts and gigs, participants attending classes and workshops, visitors coming in for a coffee, staff, etc), face masks and the NHS Covid Pass are a compulsory entry requirement for Sage Gateshead, to ensure Covid safety for audiences, artists, and staff.

The new measures have been put in place to keep yourself and others safe during the festive period, and we hope everybody will help us to comply with the national guidance and ensure we can all enjoy great live music this Christmas.

Sage Gateshead is a public building with a capacity of up to 3,000 people. We have audiences going to concerts and gigs at Sage One and Sage Two, participants attending classes and workshops, visitors coming in for a coffee, staff working front and back stage, etc. Therefore face masks and the NHS Covid Pass will be a mandatory entry requirement.

Our team will be carrying out spot checks so please come prepared to show your NHS Covid Pass when asked.

Yes, face coverings will be worn by all members of staff, except those who are exempt. In addition to this, all staff, artists, crew and contractors will continue to be required to show a negative lateral flow test upon entry to Sage Gateshead.

We will have clear signage around the building to avoid over-crowding. We do kindly ask you show consideration to others by not congregating in areas where increased footfall will naturally occur. We have a huge amount of space in our building and encourage audience members to utilise all bar space on levels 1-3 of Sage One and Sage Two to avoid overcrowding.

In line with the recent government relaxation of social distancing, we have returned to usual seating arrangements in the halls since September 2021.

If you have tested positive for Covid-19 or are required to isolate for a date where you have tickets, please let us know no later than 24 hours in advance of the show and we may be able to arrange an exchange, credit or refund. This is a temporary measure associated with Covid-19 and does not affect our terms and conditions.

At our bars and in the café, we prefer card payment for Covid-safety reasons, however we continue to accept cash.

Yes we have a cloakroom near the Box Office located by the West Entrance which will be open on concert nights.

Bags no bigger than a piece of A3 paper (297 x 420 mm) are permitted into Sage One and Sage Two.

Drinks in plastic containers are permitted on Level 1 in Sage One and Sage Two only. Bottled water and soft drinks (with a screw cap) are permitted on Level 2 and Level 3 in Sage One and Sage Two.

In addition to telephone and online, our box office will operate in-person from Sage Gateshead from September onwards.

You can book tickets:

• Online: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• By phone: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, between 12 and 5pm
• In person: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, between 12 and 5pm, or until 30 minutes after the start of a show when there is a concert or gig on

We encourage all visitors to check into the venue using a smartphone and the NHS Covid-19 app.

A comprehensive and thorough risk assessment has been created and implemented across all public and back of house areas of Sage Gateshead to ensure the safety of our audiences, artists and staff.

Please speak to a member of our team if you have any concerns during your visit. Please be aware that some people are exempt from wearing a face covering. We ask that our audience treat each other with respect and kindness.

There is no restriction on group sizes.

• Two hours before the start of any show day, our bars and café will be open for drinks and snacks.

• Daytime Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the café will be open for drinks and snacks when the building is open, including for Make Music participants.

Later on, we plan to open the café and restaurant for food service again. During the festive season, you can enjoy hot meals and platters on selected nights. This will be noted on the event page of the selected concerts.

We’re not opening our shop just yet but will have merchandise for sale on selected show nights.

Yes. We have a limited number of inflatable booster cushions that are available on a first come first served basis. Please speak to a member of our Customer Experience team.