Since opening in November at the Newcastle Art Gallery the We Can Be Heroes: backstage pass exhibition has given music lovers a glimpse into the world of rock'n'roll through the eyes of the artists who capture it with their camera lens.

The exhibition has now turned the amps up to 11, to dive even deeper into the relationship between musician and photographer.

On Wednesday night the Art Gallery launched its Live Q&A conversation series on its Instagram page with a chat between Silverchair drummer Ben Gillies and photographer Maclay Heriot, who both feature in the We Can Be Heroes exhibition.

The Live Q&A conversations continue next Wednesday at 6pm when one-time Newcastle-based musician Mo'ju, formerly known as Mojo Juju, speaks with photographer and co-curator Luke Kellett.

The series finishes at 6pm on February 3 when photographer Sophie Howarth chats with Christa Hughes, best known as KK Juggy from flamboyant indie band Machine Gun Fellatio.

The interviews will be conducted virtually due to COVID-19.

The Art Gallery will also reintroduce their Last Friday: Access All Areas series for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic on January 29, and it opens with a bang.

Grinspoon frontman Phil Jamieson will host the evening and chat with Kellett, while Sydney-based Newcastle post-punk band Flight To Dubai will perform an acoustic set.

The exhibition closes on February 14 with another intimate live performance, in association with arts festival the New Annual, from Something For Kate frontman Paul Dempsey. The gig sold out in minutes when tickets went on sale on Thursday.

Acting Newcastle Art Gallery director Geoff Frost says the Live Q&A series aims to provide a unique insight into the creative process of music photography.

"It's more about hearing that happens behind the scenes and the stories behind their favourite images," he says.

"These aren't necessarily the onstage ones that are gonna be talked about.

"It could be images that people don't usually get to see, ones that aren't picked up by record labels or for album covers, but they're probably the ones the musicians and the photographers, from being there, remember the stories behind them."

The musicians chosen for the Q&A series - Ben Gillies, Mo'ju and Christa Hughes - were also carefully selected. The brief wasn't to get the biggest star, but to find people who would best engage with the We Can Be Heroes photographers.

"What we wanted was a free-flowing conversation," Frost says. "So we pretty much asked the photographers to think where they had the most interest and fun and which musicians they have the best relationships with to really have that banter - for a lack of a better word - in terms of conversations and really bring the viewers along on bit of journey as well.

"It wasn't just which poster will go up on the wall and get people to look at it.

"It was about making sure the product, the interview, was the genuine experience."