Great North Greats is a touring exhibition celebrating the millionth finish of the Bupa Great North Run and Tyneside's incredible sporting and industrial heritage. 

Telling the stories of individuals and communities, everyday triumphs and groundbreaking achievements, it is a celebration of all of the Great North Greats – ordinary people, extraordinary achievements.

Developed in partnership with Tyne & Wear Museums Archives, the Great North Greats exhibition features 5 of the regions celebrated ‘greats’ including inventor Joseph Swan, industrialists William Armstrong and Rachel Parsons as well as sporting legends Harry Clasper and Tanni Grey-Thompson presented alongside a new addition - Tracey Cramond, the millionth finisher of the Great North Run.

The exhibition features a growing number of digital stories and oral histories, highlighting many of the regions unsung heroes and their stories of triumph against the odds, as well as new stories collected from many of the Great North Run Million Opening Ceremony volunteer performers. 

Look out for Matt Stokes, GNR Million artist in residence, who has produced a newspaper containing a selection of images from the collections at Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums. As the exhibition progresses along the route of the Bupa Great North Run and Stokes’ research develops, the number of pages will grow, forming a curated scrapbook of influential material for audience members to collect and take home. 

Great North Greats opens at Cleadon Park on Monday 27 October with a day of family fun activities. 

Cleadon Park Library, 10 Prince Edward Road, South Shields, NE34 8PS