The AMA chooses NewcastleGateshead for 2019 annual conference  

The Arts Marketing Association (AMA) has announced that NewcastleGateshead will be the host destination for its 2019 annual conference after bidding against other cities across the UK, adding to the destination’s reputation for its strong arts, culture and heritage offering.

Over 600 delegates from the cultural sector across the country will travel to the event, which will take place at Sage Gateshead on 9 – 11 July 2019, to immerse themselves in the conference experience with a programme that is set to cover the hottest topics in the sector plus an exciting range of social and networking events.

Paul Szomoru, Director of Business Events at NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau, said: “As a city that punches way above its weight in the art and culture sector, we couldn’t be happier to be welcoming the AMA conference next year.

“NewcastleGateshead is packed with performing arts, music, dance, film and heritage venues, as well as a host of galleries and museums, which are all so easy for delegates to explore thanks to our compact city centre. The venue itself, Sage Gateshead, is a landmark music venue and an international home for music, making it the perfect fit for this high-calibre event.”

Danielle Patrick, Head of Projects and Events at the AMA said: “We were won over by NewcastleGateshead during the bidding process. The city has a huge cultural offering – iconic venues like Sage Gateshead, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and Newcastle Castle are prominent amongst the cityscape and the city’s impressive cultural status is exactly what we’re looking for in a conference destination. We also found the city to be extremely welcoming and friendly, which left a lasting impression.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming our delegates to the city and hope to really wow them as well as delivering our best conference yet.”

In addition to the main conference programme, delegates can expect an exciting range of unique social options to choose from, which the AMA conferences are well known for, allowing delegates to create a memorable stay in NewcastleGateshead and to experience everything the city has to offer.

The AMA is a not-for-profit membership organisation with approximately 2,000 members across the UK and beyond. It provides professional development and training opportunities for people working in the cultural sector, influencing organisational change and inspiring individual development. The AMA was appointed as a Sector Support Organisation by Arts Council England in 2018.