Conference Venue and Access
The Glasshouse International Centre for Music
The ABO Conference 2025 is hosted by the Glasshouse International Centre for Music, a home for live music lovers. It’s a place where you can hear rock legends or pop icons on the same night as folk trios or opera singers. Where new musicians are nurtured and showcased on the same stages as platinum-selling performers. And where youth choirs and tambourine-shaking toddlers practise in the same spaces as their acclaimed orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia.
As an international centre for music they're focused on creating and celebrating outstanding music – whether that’s unearthing or growing talent from their region or bringing the world’s best artists to their stages. As a charity they're focused on making sure all of that is available to anyone – no matter where you’re from, how old you are, how much money you have, or what challenges you face.
Every year more than 2 million people are able to join them for top-notch gigs, concerts, and classes – in their own venue at Gateshead Quays, out in communities across the North East, and through livestreamed performances and digital lessons.
To find out more, click here.
Access
- Box Office, toilets, performance spaces, cafe, Brasserie and bars are accessible to all
- You have various options for getting to the building by public transport and it has step-free access
- The car park with lift access is right behind the building. They also have some priority spaces for blue badge holders near the entrances to The Glasshouse as well as in the car park.
- Unisex baby changing facilities are available on every level of the building
- Chestfeeding and breastfeeding parents are very welcome – in the cafe, the concourse or wherever you’re most comfortable
- Dogs are welcome in the public areas of the building where their staff will be happy to point out dog-water stations. If you need to bring your assistance dog into a performance space, that’s fine too.
- The venue have male and female designated toilet facilities on every level, and gender neutral toilets on the main Concourse level
- There’s also a Changing Places toilet in house equipped with hoist, changing table and shower
- On the day of the RNS concert, venue staff can help you avoid queues and crowds by seating you before the rest of the audience
- To help you find the venue, The Glasshouse has made some videos of the most popular routes which you can watch on this page. They include the route from Gateshead Metro station, Newcastle Central station, and from the carpark.
- If you want some space set back from the hustle and bustle, venue staff will find you a quiet spot.
- If the noise gets a bit much for you, ask stewards or the Box Office team for the ear plugs or over-head ear defenders.
- Seats in Sage One are 46cm wide, and have fixed arm rests
- Seats in Sage Two are 52cm wide. All seats have fixed arm rests, apart from the ones on level one of our central area. If you’re attending a show with cabaret style seating this may change, so give the team a call to double check.
- There are lots of seating options across our front of house areas, from single chairs to booth style benches
For more information about access at The Glasshouse click here.
Please inform the ABO team of any accessibility needs you may have. Please give as much notice as possible, and will do our best to accommodate your requirements. You can include these in the Special Requirements box when booking, or email info@abo.org.uk. We are happy to contact The Glasshouse on your behalf to make any necessary arrangements.