Hadrian's Wall Art Trail 2026
Hadrian’s Wall Art Trail 2026
Contemporary art and creative spaces along Hadrian’s Wall.
3 weekends. 80+ artworks. Over 30 artists. Exhibitions, workshops and live performances.
Hadrian’s Wall Art Trail brings together artists, creative spaces and communities surrounding one of Britain’s most extraordinary landmarks.
Across three weekends in September, discover more than 80 artworks by artists from Cumbria, Northumberland and beyond, presented in rural venues and out in the landscape. Alongside the exhibitions, the programme includes free creative workshops, family activities, film, live music and performances, creating new ways to experience art and the landscape of Hadrian’s Wall.
Underfoot / Overhead
This year’s theme, Underfoot / Overhead, invites us to look differently at the world around us – from the ground beneath our feet to the vast skies above, and everything discovered in between.
Artists have responded to the theme in many different ways: exploring landscape, geology and archaeology; plants, wildlife and the natural world; paths, boundaries and traces left behind; changing skies, weather and horizons; and our own relationship with the places we inhabit.
Painting, print, photography, textiles, illustration and mixed-media works offer different perspectives on what can be found above us, beneath us and around us.
Moving between indoor and outdoor spaces, visitors will encounter artworks in direct conversation with the landscape that has inspired them – encouraging us to look up, look down, look closer, and notice what might otherwise pass unseen.
Dates & Times
Friday 4 – Sunday 6 September
Friday 11 – Sunday 13 September
Friday 18 – Sunday 20 September
All Art Trail venues are open 12pm–4pm.
FREE ENTRY
Refreshments will be available along the trail, so take your time, explore the exhibitions and make a day of it.
Venues
Click the drop-down arrows below to find out more about each venue, including its location, accessibility, parking and public transport options.
Fields Shelter - Bridge House, Shield Hill, Haltwhistle NE49 9NW
Field Shelter is an artist-led creative studio and project space located close to Cawfields Quarry and near Haltwhistle, Northumberland, on Hadrian’s Wall. It is housed in an off-grid building that was formerly a derelict stable. Field Shelter supports experimental, rural-based contemporary art practices, exploring alternative methods of making, researching, and presenting work within a wild and natural landscape.
Parking: Limited parking on site at Bridge House B&B. Parking at Cawfields Quarry & Milecastle Inn with a walk.
Public Transport: AD122. Get off at the Milecastle Pub.
Toilet: Yes
Access: Please email fieldshelter.arts@gmail.com before your visit.
Links:
The Threshing Barn - Green Croft, Gilsland, Northumberland, CA8 7EL
The Threshing Barn is home to Green Croft Arts. We create work that fosters deeper connections between people, the landscape, and the region’s heritage. The Threshing Barn as a cultural and wellbeing hub, situated directly on the line of Hadrian’s Wall between Greenhead and Gilsland, Northumberland. The Barn hosts creative and wellbeing classes, workshops, and performances, offering a creative and community-focused space.
Parking: Parking on site for 10 cars.
Public Transport: The HW1 bus service stops on request at Crossgates. There is no designated bus stop, so let the driver know you would like to get off at Crossgates. For your return journey, you can hail the bus from the roadside at Crossgates.
Toilet: Accessible toilet.
Access: Accessible parking space and the building is accessible. Please email info@greencroftonthewall.com before your visit.
Links:
The Samson Inn - Gilsland, Brampton CA8 7DR
Originally a coaching inn established in the 17th century, then rebuilt and re-branded after a famous steam engine when the railways arrived, the Samson Inn has been welcoming weary travellers for centuries. A community owned pub, serving delicious home-cooked food and offering bed and breakfast accommodation.
Parking: Yes
Public Transport: The HW1 bus service stops at The Bridge Inn, Gilsland
Toilet: Yes
Access: Wheelchair accessible at the entry and main seating areas, though it is a historic village pub so space can be tight when busy
Links:
Haltwhistle Film Project - Market Square, Haltwhistle NE49 0BL
The Haltwhistle Film Project is a not-for-profit community film production and arts organisation based in Northumberland, UK. Run by Vicky Jones and Marc McKiernan, they create films, animations, and media training for all ages, specialising in heritage, education, environmental projects, and inclusive media work through FilmAble.
Parking: No. There is street parking on Main Street and the nearest public car park is at Sainsbury's The Mart, Haltwhistle, NE29 9DZ
Public Transport: The AD122 bus service stops at Market Place, Haltwhistle.
Toilet: Yes
Access: Email haltwhistlefp@gmail.com for more information.
Links:
Getting Here by Public Transport
The Hadrian’s Wall Art Trail can be explored by public transport.
Haltwhistle is the main public transport hub. It is served by the 685 Newcastle-Carlisle bus service and by trains on the Newcastle–Carlisle railway line, stopping at Haltwhistle Railway Station.
From Haltwhistle you can catch the AD122 Hadrian’s Wall bus which serves the eastern section of the Wall, travelling between Greenhead and Hexham. The HW1 Hadrian’s Wall bus serves the western section, travelling between Greenhead and Carlisle. The two bus services connect at the Roman Army Museum/Walltown Country Park, making it possible to travel between the eastern and western sections of Hadrian’s Wall by bus.
All the Art Trail venues can be reached using either the AD122 or HW1, making it possible to visit the exhibitions and explore the trail without travelling by car.
Please check current bus and train timetables before travelling, as services and connections may vary.
Click HERE to view the HW1 bus timetable.
Click HERE to view the AD122 bus timetable.
Click HERE to view the 685 timetable.
Click HERE to view the Newcastle to Carlisle train timetable.
Workshops, Performances and Events
There’s more to discover along the Hadrian’s Wall Art Trail than the exhibitions.
Across the three weekends, we’ll be hosting a small programme of creative workshops, participatory activities and live performance, offering opportunities to make, take part and experience the trail in different ways.
Many activities will be free to take part in, although advance booking may be required where places are limited. More workshops, activities and programme details will be announced soon – keep checking back for updates.
Week 1: Haltwhistle Music Festival
Friday 4th - Sunday 6th September
We’re delighted to be a partner of Haltwhistle Music Festival, taking place across the first weekend of the Hadrian’s Wall Art Trail.
With live music and events taking place across Haltwhistle and the surrounding area, it’s a great opportunity to combine a visit to the Art Trail with a weekend of music, art and culture.
Week 3: Live Music at The Threshing Barn
On Saturday 19 September, join us for a special double bill from Anne-Marie Sanderson & Isabel Rumble, bringing the Art Trail’s final weekend to a close with an intimate evening of live music in The Threshing Barn.
Tickets: £15 / £10 concessions
Who Produces the Hadrian’s Wall Art Trail?
The Hadrian’s Wall Art Trail is produced by Green Croft Arts and Field Shelter CIC – two artist-led organisations based along Hadrian’s Wall.
Working from distinctive rural creative spaces between Gilsland and Haltwhistle, we share an interest in contemporary art, landscape and place, and in creating opportunities for artists and audiences to experience art within the remarkable landscape of Hadrian’s Wall.
Green Croft Arts
Green Croft Arts is led by dance artist and creative producer Amanda Drago and sound artist and musician Kit Haigh. Together, they create projects and experiences that connect people with creativity, landscape and the region’s heritage.
In January 2025, Green Croft Arts opened The Threshing Barn, a cultural and wellbeing space situated directly on the line of Hadrian’s Wall between Greenhead and Gilsland, Northumberland.
The Barn hosts exhibitions, live performances, artist residencies, workshops, creative activities and wellbeing experiences throughout the year, providing a rural space where artists, communities and visitors can come together.
Field Shelter CIC
Field Shelter CIC is an artist-led creative studio and project space near Haltwhistle, Northumberland, on Hadrian’s Wall.
Housed in an off-grid building that was formerly a derelict stable, Field Shelter supports experimental, rural-based contemporary art practices and explores alternative ways of making, researching and presenting work.
Its location places artists and their work in direct relationship with the surrounding landscape, creating opportunities to experiment, respond to place and encounter contemporary art outside traditional gallery settings.
The Creative Team
Amanda Drago - Producer
Lydia Brockless - Producer
