Art & Architecture

Over the past 25 years the spectacular landscapes of Kielder Water & Forest Park in Northumberland have become the home of a unique collection of visual art and architecture.

Please note that if you would like to find out more, check out the Kielder Art & Architecture website for in-depth information on the art and architectural works, the people who made them, and the ideas behind each piece.

Many people visit the Park for this open-air art experience, located at sites around the lake, in the forest, and within Northumberland National Park.  It’s an ideal location, close to Hadrian’s Wall and other Northumberland attractions.

You might choose to visit the award winning futuristic shelter ‘Kielder Belvedere’ by Softroom Architects; experience James Turrell’s light sculpture ‘Kielder Skyspace’; discover the story of Freya and Robin in Studio Weave’s ‘Freya’s Cabin’; or contemplate the play of water on the waves in Chris Drury’s ‘Wave Chamber’. There are many other varied works of art and architecture with their own stories to tell such as Fiona Curran’s ‘The grass seemed darker than ever’ , an artistic response to the history of Kielder Castle and ‘Hide’, a new wildlife watching space at Bakethin delivered in collaboration with Newcastle University’s School of Architecture as part our Testing Ground programme.

Most pieces are fully accessible to visitors and along the Lakeside Way there is the opportunity to explore many of these contemporary works, including the three large rotating Janus Chairs and the ever-popular Silvas Capitalis, also known as the 'giant forest head'!

Purchase a copy of the Trails Guide from any visitor centre or download it here to find out how to get to each art piece and make the most of your experience.