The date that tickets will go on sale for a landmark North East exhibition later this year has been announced.
The Lindisfarne Gospels return to the region from September 17 to December 3 at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle city centre alongside work by Turner Prize winning artist Jeremy Deller.
The book, which is on loan from the British Library, is said to be the most spectacular surviving manuscript from early medieval Britain and it is the first time it has been on display in Newcastle since 2000.
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And tickets for the exhibition go on sale on St Cuthbert's Day, Sunday March 20.
The exhibition investigates the meaning of the Lindisfarne Gospels in the world today and explores its relationship with the themes of personal, regional and national identity and will take place across three galleries.
Beginning with an immersive digital experience, visitors will journey back to Lindisfarne during the 8th century, with a digital interpretation flowing over the gallery walls to reflect the manuscript's story.
The second gallery showcases the Gospels themselves, alongside around 20 early medieval treasures brought together from across Britain in an exploration of belief and spirituality around the 8th century, when Britain was slowly transitioning from Paganism to Christianity.
The Gospels are at the heart of the exhibition, open at the page of the Gospel of St John, ff. 210v-211, as well as other illuminated manuscripts including the St Cuthbert Gospel, the oldest intact European book.
In the third and final gallery, visitors can see how art and spirituality have developed in the centuries since the creation of the Lindisfarne Gospels. Several paintings, drawings and photographs will be on loan to the exhibition, reflecting how artists throughout history have represented the spiritual state of their time.
This will include Old Master religious works, Romantic painters who sought spiritual experience through nature and contemporary artists exploring the deeper questions of life.
Julie Milne, Chief Curator of Art Galleries, Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums, said: "It is exhilarating that the exhibition is starting to take shape and we can talk in more detail about what people will be able to see and experience.
"The Lindisfarne Gospels are such an important part of our region’s history and heritage that it’s a privilege to be able to exhibit them and build an exhibition around them. We’re absolutely delighted to be working with Jeremy Deller and having his artistic input to help shape the exhibition experience.
"We are very happy to have the new Ad Gefrin Visitor Experience and Distillery as our Headline Sponsor as there is an obvious synergy with us both highlighting the rich history of Northumberland during the Anglo-Saxon period.
"We’re anticipating that this will be a very popular exhibition, so I’d urge people to book their tickets as early as possible."
Ad Gefrin, the exhibition's headline sponsor, opens in Wooler in autumn 2022 and aims to bring to life the 7th century Anglo Saxon royal summer palace of the Northumbrian Kings and Queens discovered at Yeavering, said to be one of the 20th century's most remarkable archaeological finds.
Alan and Eileen Ferguson, co-founders of Ad Gefrin, said: "It seems absolutely fitting to support the return of the Lindisfarne Gospels to the North East, to celebrate their sophisticated artistry and the wealth of learning that they represent, and to reflect on the importance of the culture they came from in our lives today - a time when leaders were celebrated for their generosity not their wealth; women were equal in the eyes of the law, and diversity was embraced with a timeless hospitality."
As well as the Laing Art Gallery exhibition, attractions across the North East are hosting events throughout 2022 including a complementary exhibition at Newcastle City Library.
You can find more information at the Lindisfarne Gospels 2022 website.
