The Newcastle City Hall is a concert hall located in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It has hosted many popular music and classical artists throughout the years, as well as standup and comedy acts. The venue is operated by Academy Music Group and named under a group sponsorship agreement with telecoms company O₂. On 1 May 2019 the 2,135-capacity Newcastle City Hall transferred from Newcastle Theatre Royal Trust to Academy Music Group, and joined the portfolio of award-winning venues across the UK, including London’s iconic O2 Academy Brixton and O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. As part of the transfer City Hall is rebranded O2 City Hall Newcastle. Opened in 1927, the Grade-II-listed City Hall is a major part of the city’s cultural heritage as one of Newcastle’s first dedicated concert venues, which also houses an original Harrison and Harrison Organ. For 40 years the City Hall hosted major orchestral concerts, until the explosion that was the 1960s when it opened its doors to pop music greats. Since then it has maintained its position as one of the country’s leading live entertainment venues. The Newcastle Theatre Royal Trust took over the management of City Hall from Newcastle City Council in April 2016 and has made significant improvements to the building over the last three years. “Academy Music Group is an industry leader in concert hall management and promotion” said Philip Bernays, Chief Executive, Newcastle Theatre Royal Trust. “They have the industry expertise and resources to develop the programme as well as the building to ensure O2 City Hall Newcastle continues to thrive as one of the major venues for Newcastle and the North East.” “Newcastle has a musical heritage to be proud of. It’s a city that is famed for its nightlife, and live music especially plays a major part in that” says Graham Walters, Chief Operating Officer, Academy Music Group. “Here at AMG, we are renowned for our experience in live entertainment and venues across the UK, particularly historic and listed buildings; and we’re delighted to be shaping one of Newcastle’s most iconic venues with the ambition to entertain and preserve its amazing history. We look forward to presenting a full range of live music and events and securing its future for many years to come.”