Giant city centre screen wins international award

Newcastle's Screen on the Green showed more than 100 free films this year

A project displaying free films and sports events on a giant screen in Newcastle city centre has won an international award.

Screen on the Green at Old Eldon Square has been used by business improvement district NE1 to turn the former anti-social behaviour hotspot into a "welcoming" destination for families.

To celebrate its success, the project was awarded a prize for urban place management by the International Downtown Association (IDA) in Washington DC.

NE1's head of marketing and events Rachel Fenwick said the giant screen had helped to transform the area into a "vibrant, welcoming space that reflects the energy of Newcastle".

She said NE1's events had attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city each year and increased Newcastle's "appeal as a place to live, work, play and visit".

"Screen on the Green is a perfect example of how we tailor these events and experiences to specific locations, helping us to spotlight different parts of the city," she said.

Each summer Old Eldon Square is turned into a free family-friendly activity zone, which features Tiny Toon

More than 100 free movies were broadcast this year, along with coverage of Wimbledon, Formula 1, the Tour de France and the Great North Run.

NE1 said it attracted more than 110,000 visitors this year.

Screen on the Green has been running since 2015 and each year sees Old Eldon Square transformed into a family-friendly zone filled with deckchairs and activities, including Tiny Toon, which features a model Metro and Tyne Bridge.

IDA president David Downey said Screen on the Green should "serve as a framework" for all of its members.

The international association is made up of urban place professionals who aim to create dynamic city centre districts.

As its ceremony is held in the US, the NE1 team was not attend in person.

In addition to winning the prize, images of Screen on the Green will be displayed at the National Building Museum in the City Action Hall in Washington DC, as part of an exhibition about how cities adapted after the Covid-19 pandemic.

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