Sunderland Culture

**Community Event Internship Opportunity**
Are you looking to gain experience or develop skills in the creative sector in Sunderland?
We're seeking 2 x Community Event Interns to support the delivery of Hetton Carnival from 16 June - 27 June 2019.
... As part of Sunderland Culture’s Great Place programme, we'll be taking artists and creative practitioners to the Hetton Carnival, an annual celebration at Hetton Lyons Country Park, to create an exciting cultural experience for families and communities.
This is an entry level position for a person seeking to gain experience of the creative sector in Sunderland. For more details on what the internship involves and how to apply: https://bit.ly/2TdJdgs
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**Job Opportunity**
Sunderland Culture is seeking an experienced and efficient Finance Officer who will be responsible for the day-to-day management of our financial transactions and procedures.
The successful applicant will need to be organised; have strong communication skills and administrative skills; be able to work independently; and be able to manage time-sensitive tasks.
... For more information, full brief and application details visit: https://sunderlandculture.org.uk/about-us /opportunities/
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Head along to Mackie’s Corner in Sunderland to catch Merch - a brand new pop-up exhibition created by Sunderland University fine art staff and students, featuring artworks on both ready-to-wear and conceptual loose clothing. Open until 17 May, everyone is welcome and you can even purchase your very own, unique piece of wearable art! 😎
Sunderland Culture is working with Sunderland University to help give students real life exhibition experience and create development opportuni...ties. The project is part of our Unlock programme which aims to improve the visibility of all the fantastic creative work taking place in the city by bringing them into the heart of the city centre itself.
Unlock is part of our larger Great Place programme, which is supported with funding from Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
You can find Merch at Mackie's Corner, Sunderland, SR1 1TX, from 11am - 2pm until 17 May.
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Tonight at Arts Centre Washington ... Follow Sherlock Holmes and his incomparable sidekick Dr. Jane Watson on their journey from the streets of London to the Devonshire Moors as they attempt to solve the mystery of… The Hound of the Baskervilles!
Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic mystery as you have never seen it before!

📢 Calling all Sunderland-based independent creative practitioners, artists, producers and cultural or heritage organisations! 📢
We recognise that it can be a challenge for creative practitioners and cultural organisations to take time to innovate and progress their work.
As part of Sunderland Culture’s Great Place programme, funded by the National Lottery, we are launching an open call to apply for a bursary of up to £2000 to help you move to the next stage in your practice o...r organisational development.
Full details about this opportunity including application criteria, process and application can be found here: bit.ly/2TdJdgs
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We have a new opportunity for emerging playwrights in Sunderland!
The Sunderland Stages Writers Project is offering the opportunity for Sunderland based writers, keen to develop their playwrighting skills, to showcase their work at a special event to be held at Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens later in the year.
For more info visit https://bit.ly/2TdJdgs

**Job opportunity** Live Music Programme: Call out for freelance Music Consultant
Sunderland Culture is seeking support from a short-term consultancy to advise on the development of a live music programme for Sunderland’s new performance venue, The Fire Station, due to open in autumn/winter 2020.
... The consultant will have have extensive knowledge and experience of programming across a range of music genres and delivery at a range of scales within a live music venue.
For more information, full brief and application details visit: https://sunderlandculture.org.uk/about-us /opportunities/
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Join #AskACurator over on Twitter!

This week at Arts Centre Washington Indian dance combines with comic storytelling as Shane Shambhu gives you his Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer!
"Brilliant! Hilarious! Heart-warming! Inspirational! Must-See!" - British Theatre Guide
There's still time to pick up your tickets for the excellent 'Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer' at Arts Centre Washington this Thursday 2 May, 7.30 pm.
... Don't miss out on this one of a kind show!
PLUS: Dinner and a show?!
Stay after the performance for an extra infusian of Indian flavour...
'Cockney Curry House' introduces Chef T and sous chef Dave to audiences allowing them to taste and smell the spices and flavours of South Indian cuisine. Chef T will reveal the journey that curry dishes have made into British cuisine making Tikka Masala as popular as Fish and Chips.

Tickets: https://sunderlandculture.org.uk/book/?in stanceid=12001 or call 0191 561 3455
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Sunderland Stages Writers' Project is a new citywide initiative from Sunderland Culture, developed with the support of the Great Place Unlock programme, aiming to develop talent and unlock potential in the Sunderland area.
Sunderland Stages Writers' Project targets writers new to writing for theatre and aims to provide a ‘crash course’ in writing for the stage. Participants can get involved with talks and workshops by established writers and theatre-makers and take advantage ...of opportunities for work to be professionally performed later on in the year.
Venue – The Fire Station, High Street West, Sunderland, SR1 1DT Monday 13 May 6.00 – 8.00pm Programmer / Producer Helen Green (Sunderland Culture)
Helen Green has over 30 years’ experience in the performing arts, working for a range of venues and production companies throughout the UK.
As Creative Director of Arts Centre Washington, Helen introduced a professional performance programme and committed the arts centre to sustained support for emerging theatre makers.
Since then she has gone on to introduce the city-wide Sunderland Stages programme and produced ‘Fireflight’, the large-scale opening event of The Fire Station in October 2017. As Head of Performance for Sunderland Culture she programmed and produced The Tall Ships Festival cultural programme, was regional producer for 14-18 Now's ‘Pages of the Sea’ armistice project and is lead programmer for the new Fire Station auditorium, due to open late next year.
Helen is also a member of the North East Artist Development Steering Group and is actively involved in supporting emerging theatre makers in Sunderland through the Sunderland Stages Writers Project.
There’s no need to book in advance for the talk – just turn up on the evening. The Fire Station is on High Street West, near the Empire Theatre.
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**JOB OPPORTUNITIES**
We've just uploaded 3 new exciting job opportunities to our website!
We're looking for people with a strong passion for arts and culture to join our organisation in the following roles;
... City-wide programmes' Project Assistant Public Engagement and Learning Officer Exhibitions Officer, Contemporary Visual Arts
Check them all out here - https://sunderlandculture.org.uk/about-us /opportunities/
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One week left to view Leonardo da Vinci: A Life In Drawing....
We are expecting this week to be busy so pre-booking your exhibition ticket is advised. You can book by visiting Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens welcome desk or online via www.sunderlandmuseum.org.uk
And make sure to use the hashtags #SunderlandLeo & #Leonardo500 so we can follow your visit!

Make sure you pop along to National Glass Centre's first Craft Fair of the year tomorrow.
It'll be jam-packed with regional makers selling a huge range of beautiful hand-crafted items such as glass jewellery, fused glass, wooden sculptures, ceramics, scarves, bags, silver jewellery and paper sculpture.
Open 10am - 5pm, FREE entry and FREE Parking.

On 2 May (a week today), the date Leonardo da Vinci died, Royal Collection Trust will be answering as many as possible #askacurator questions about the artist. If you have a burning question about Leonardo da Vinci, his work, the #Leonardo500 project, the current National exhibitions or what's going to happen next, this is your time to find out more!
Submit your questions in advance or tweet @RCT on the day. Ask a question --> www.rct.uk/submit-a-question
#Leonardo500
... In addition to Royal Collection Trust answering questions, Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens will be online over on Twitter too, to answer your Sunderland curator question - just ask a question and use #SunderlandLeo on the day.
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Join Shane Shambhu – dancer, comedian, performer, who will have you laughing out loud as he reveals his past through a vivid display of characters, Indian Dancing and comical stories, reflecting on how race, language, cultures and identity have defined him and his career.
Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer Thursday 2 May, Arts Centre Washington

Celebrate Sunderland's rich cultural heritage during Local History Month in May.
The programme of talks, walks, exhibitions and activities gives people the chance to find out more about the history of their communities and their city.
The biennial local history month has been organised by the members of Sunderland Heritage Forum and the Heritage Team at Sunderland, UK to give people the opportunity to discover more about the city's fascinating cultural heritage.
... Some of the highlights include the following:
* Vaux Memories: Display of Vaux related memorabilia marking the 20th anniversary of the closure of Sunderland's world famous brewery
* Magical Mystery Tour: Hop aboard a vintage bus for a trip around three of the city's heritage sites, and stop off to explore
* Sunderland's First Female MP: Learn more about Dr Marion Philips who was elected as an MP in the first General Election in which women were allowed to vote and represented the city between 1929 and 1931
* Medieval Mayhem: Enjoy a free fun day at Hylton Castle with medieval themed activities for all the family to enjoy.
You can pick up a copy of the Local History Month leaflet from libraries and other local visitor attractions - or download the PDF here -https://www.seeitdoitsunderland.co…/†¦/local-history-month-2019
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Come to the Fire Station next Monday and learn all about writing for the stage!
Sunderland Stages Writers' Project is a new citywide initiative from Sunderland Culture, developed with the support of the Great Place Unlock programme.
It aims to develop talent and unlock potential in the Sunderland area by targeting writers new to writing for theatre and providing for them a ‘crash course’ in how to write for the stage.
... Participants can get involved with talks and workshops by established writers and theatre-makers and take advantage of opportunities for work to be professionally performed later on in the year.
The workshop next Monday takes place at the Fire Station on High Street West, Sunderland (SR1 1DT) from 6pm to 8pm.
It's free to attend and you can just turn up on the night.
Leading the workshop will be playwright Ishy Din,who lives in Middlesbrough.
Ishy has most recently come to notice with his play 'Approaching Empty', a co-production between Tamasha/The Kiln/Live Theatre which performed to great acclaim at Live Theatre in February 2019.
He was the 2012 Pearson Writer in Residence at the Manchester Royal Exchange and in 2013 his play 'Snookered' won ‘Best New Play’ at the Manchester Theatre Awards.
He has also written for radio, television and film and is currently under commission from Royal Shakespeare Company for a new play about the Mughals.
Here's an article on the BBC website from earlier this year all about Ishy and his work -
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainmen t-arts-46822949
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We're backing Sunderland to win - a fantastic city with such ambition and drive, you truly deserve the title!

Very best of luck to Sunderland tonight from all of us at Redcar and Cleveland. Watching the result from 7pm tonight on the BBC, One Show.

This will be fantastic for the city, with its beautiful coastline, historic buildings, great music, talented young people, friendly vibe and fabulous heritage winning this can make sure other people know what's great about the place and the people. Good luck everyone.

Sunderland has one of the best coastlines in the country also the marina and the river, We have the Glass centre, Air Museum, Train Museum and a ship building Museum so lots of historical places of interest. Sunderland has a vibrant nightlife the theatre with great shows, a great range of restaurants and Bars. Sunderland has the friendliest people, a great stadium for concerts and sometimes football but have the most passionate best fans in the country.

Sunderland born and bred been away a while now and love coming back. I miss it so much. Fantastic things to do and the beach is my main attraction there.

Love my home town....full of historical places from Hylton Castle to St. Peters Church and Penshaw Monument...

Love Sunderland! The best countryside, coast and the people! Proud to have been born and bred here. Good luck with the bid........x

I was a Student at the University (Animation and Design) and was excited to hear about the bid and at the same time disapointed that the city didn't get it but it is amazing to see after my last visit to the city how the events leading up to it had changed and improved the city even further then it was when I was living there for 3 years which is why I still say I wish I had never left Sunderland City and can't wait for my next trip up north.

Great to see so many people of all ages from different parts of the city and beyond supporting the bid. There are many good things about the city and for us to be enthusiastic about. Sunderland has fascinating historical buildings and has been the birth place of people who have changed the world for the better. Positivity is contagious and the city would greatly benefit from the support of the people who live here. Winning the city of culture would give Sunderland the boost it needs. ���

Cross the Ravine Bridge and you know there is no better view in the world, of the sweep of Seaburn on a sunny day with memories of childhood on the beach and candy floss. The town is gentle and passionate in its dignity of the struggle through difficult times. We are not extremely rich but we know how to have a good time, with an excellent local gig culture and lively pubs. Every town has its dark corners but Sunderland feels safe and the people have a deep community spirit. Now is our chance to open our hearts and minds to a refreshing new wind which draws us together to embrace a new light of culture. I, for one, can't wait.

Best shoreline seaburn and roker, costa del seaburn as we call it! Also hub of entertainment with the sunderland empire one of our cultural stars! Shops café's and parks surrounding the city what more could we want? With safc at its heart we live and breath football! Life in the outdoors and leisure in comfort with first class hotels and accommodation too! wonderland come visit us soon! June redford.

I'm new to Sunderland coming from Edinburgh where I lived for 16 years and so now I hear regularly 'what made you move here, from Edinburgh!?' The more I poke around, be nosey and be a tourist, the more I like and I can see why Sunderland is bidding for the City of Culture in 2021. Keep working on it, there is great stuff here. It just needs developing and exposure, and it will benefit the city and stop being in the shadows of Durham and Newcastle. Think and act positive Jeremy Brown!

Sunderland is a dump. Really can not win city of culture lol

Sunderland City Council City Of Culture?



Sunderland Council have drafted their core strategy for housing in the City. In this document they propose to build 70 New homes on WEST PARK HERRINGTON.

If you draw an imaginary line south along the A19 corridor in Sunderland. In the north you have Hylton Castle, a fine example of a 1300s castle gatehouse,a bit further south you come to the river Wear crossing where archeologists today are exploring our Roman past.

Moving across the Wear and a few miles further south we come to Hastings Hill where we have a 4000 year old burial mound and evidence of a neolithic cursus and causeway enclosure .

A little further to the South of Hastings Hill we have WEST PARK HERRINGTON. A park which was promised to the people in perpetuity. A park and grazing field (also part of the park)which have the marks of the toils of our ancestors in the form of medieval ridge and furrow markings. This park has been relativley untouched and unexplored for centuries, since medieval farmers worked the land. it is a GEM in our CULTURAL HERITAGE in Sunderland. It provides a valuable recreational greenspace for locals, a tranquil spot in an otherwise busy City, it is in short, East and Middle Herringtons' "Village Green" and a beautiful gateway to our City.

It is part of our CULTURAL HERITAGE which bears the scars of the medieval workers of Sunderland upon its land.

What do the Council want to do ? answer ...build executive homes upon it.

This is not congruent with our City of Culture bid,this is CULTURAL AND HERITAGE VANDALISM.

Listen to the people, Sunderland Council Planners !The City of Culture should not be simply paying lip service to a mantra,but should have a mind set of preserving and enhancing our Cultural Heritage and past.