Side Cinema

Side Cinema, also known as Side Gallery & Cinema, is a documentary film and photography organisation based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It was founded in 1977 by the Amber Film & Photography Collective to showcase documentary photography at a time when it was rarely exhibited. Originally located on Newcastle's historic Quayside, Side Gallery was the only gallery in the UK focused entirely on documentary photography. Over the decades, it expanded to include a cinema, screenings, events, and learning programmes. Today, Side is the only long-standing documentary film and photography organisation in England committed to working-class stories. It is rooted in the North East of England and works across the region, the UK, and internationally. At its heart is the UNESCO-recognised AmberSide Collection, a body of work made with and about working-class communities. Side is part of the AmberSide Trust (Charity Number: 1160760), which also oversees AmberEducation and Amber Films. The organisation receives support from individuals, sponsors, trusts, and foundations. Its curatorial office is located at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, while its mail address is c/o Connected Voice, One Strawberry Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne. Side continues to present exhibitions, screenings, and community programmes that challenge how communities are seen, remembered, and understood.

Side was founded in 1977 by the Amber Film & Photography Collective to showcase documentary photography at a time when it was rarely exhibited. It began as a venue located on Newcastle's historic Quayside, created out of Amber's commitment to documenting working-class and marginalised communities. At the time, Side Gallery was the only gallery in the UK focused entirely on documentary photography. From the beginning, Side Gallery gained a strong reputation for its commitment to socially engaged photography. It became a platform for both UK-based and international photographers. Over the years, Side expanded its activities to include a cinema, screenings, events, and learning programmes. It also became the custodian of the AmberSide Collection, a UNESCO-recognised body of work made with and about working-class communities in the North East and beyond. The organisation is now part of the AmberSide Trust, a registered charity (number 1160760) that also oversees AmberEducation and Amber Films. Side continues to operate from Newcastle upon Tyne, with a curatorial office at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead. It remains dedicated to documentary that is grounded, accountable, and shaped with the people it speaks about.

• 2015

  AmberSide Trust registered as a charity (number 1160760).

• 1977

  Side founded by the Amber Film & Photography Collective in Newcastle upon Tyne.

• 1977

  Side Gallery opens on Newcastle's Quayside, the only UK gallery focused entirely on documentary photography.

A socially engaged documentary film and photography organisation focused on working-class stories, rooted in North East England and operating nationally and internationally.

• Documentary photography exhibitions

• Film screenings

• Community and education programmes

• Digital platforms

1. 1Side: Documents of Working Class Lifesidegallery.co.uk
2. 2About Side | Sidesidegallery.co.uk
3. 3Contact us | Sidesidegallery.co.uk
4. 4Support Us | Sidesidegallery.co.uk
5. 5Side Cinema - Wikidatawikidata.org