Orbis, Commercial Union House.

Feliks Culpa, artist's talk, 'The Ongoing Moment', Vane, April 2019.

Jonpaul Kirvan installing, The Manchester Contemporary art fair, 2016.

Ampersand Inventions at Palace of Science, Exhibition Park, March 2018.

Artists' talk, 'You're Reading Into It', Vane, August 2017.

Trendlistr, Ampersand Inventions.

'Millenni-Med', Jennifer O'Neill, Ampersand Inventions studio member, Great North Museum, June 2019.

Jonpaul Kirvan, studio, Ampersand Inventions.

Explore Lifelong Learning workshop by Melanie Kyles, The Fashion Lab at Ampersand Inventions, 2018.

Jaisen Yates, Ampersand Inventions studio member, 2018.

EC Davies at The Late Shows, Ampersand Inventions, May 2018.

Tenfoot Dance Company, Angels of the North, Vane, October 2018.

Modest Fashion Event, Ampersand Inventions, November 2018.

Archaeology class, Explore Lifelong Learning, Ampersand Inventions, March 2019.

Orbis Makers Awards 2019, Northumbria University project at Ampersand Inventions, April 2019.

The Late Shows 2019, Maker Space Newcastle, Ampersand Inventions.

What is Orbis?

Orbis champions collaboration between creatives and communities.

To achieve this, Orbis provides an environment for:

Affordable workspace
Fostering Communication
Networking and Collaboration
Mentoring
A supportive environment
Business development
Health and wellbeing
Lifelong learning
Placemaking

Commercial Union House

Orbis is a not-for-profit organisation with a board of advisors, which holds the lease for eight floors of Commercial Union House on Pilgrim Street in the city centre of Newcastle upon Tyne.

The Orbis board of Directors are Paul Stone and Christopher Yeats (Vane Gallery 1st Floor) and Jonpaul Kirvan (Ampersand Inventions 4th Floor)

Each floor of Commercial Union House has been transformed into workspace for creative practitioners and SMEs from a wide range of fields – including visual arts, performance, craft, illustration, filmmaking, writing, theatre, fashion, design, disability arts projects and lecture rooms.

Over 350 creative practitioners plus thousands of visitors benefit from the building’s resources, facilities and programme of activities. Orbis also provides bespoke mentoring to the building’s individuals and groups, many of whom are SMEs and start-ups. Major partner organisations include Ampersand Inventions, Arcadea, B&D Studios, Trendlistr, Maker Space Newcastle, Northern Charter, Orbis Studios, Space Six, and Vane.