The Cultural Spring: the next three years

Published: 24 January 2017
Reporter: Peter Lathan

The Cultural Spring

Following the announcement that its funding is to be extended for a further three years, the Cultural Spring has revealed more details of its plans for its work in Sunderland and South Tyneside.

It will be working in ten new wards: Hendon, Pallion, Millfield, St Anne's and Sandhill in Sunderland and Horsley Hill, Beacon and Bents, Simonside and Rekendyke, Monkton and Bede in South Tyneside. It is in these areas that it will concentrate its programme of arts taster sessions, the aim of which is to lead to regular arts activity in these areas.

In the original wards where it operated for the first three years—Red House, Castletown, Southwick, Fulwell and Roker/St Peter's in Sunderland, and Biddick and All Saints, Boldon Colliery, Cleadon and East Boldon, Whitburn and Marsden and Whiteleas in South Tyneside—it is committed to continued support for the groups which have grown over the period.

In the coming months, consultation meetings will be held in each ward to determine what the residents want.

The Go and See initiative, in which residents are offered discounted tickets to experience the best arts and cultural events happening across the North East and beyond, will continue and the Cultural Spring is working with theatres, galleries, festivals and artists to gain access to special events, back stage tours and discounted tickets for people living in the wards.

Previous Go and Sees included the Royal North Sinfonia and Sage Gateshead at Red House Academy, Tyne by Michael Chaplin at Customs House and Live Theatre and Lydia’s House at Customs House and the Canny Space. Coming shortly are two productions at the Customs House: Putting the Band Back Together (31 January) and Five Dead No Bodies (15 to 18 February).

Details of plans released earlier will be found in our news story of 22 October 2016.

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