In 2002, the musician Sting commissioned Hannock to make a painting of his home city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England to mark the 2004 grand opening of The Sage Gateshead––a performing arts center designed by Sir Norman Foster. "Northern City Renaissance, Newcastle, England", (2008)[https://web.archive.org/web/20100602141359/http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/images/uploads/exhibitionimage/original/3804901.jpg] was completed and unveiled in the Fall of 2009 at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne. Newcastle, a former coal and shipbuilding capital that fell into harsh economic times by the 20th century has recently been enjoying a cultural regeneration. In its description of the 8 by 12 feet painting, the Laing describes how Hannock captures both past and present in his multi-layered work: