upcoming workshops
October 12th, November 2nd, December 7th and January 11th from 4pm - 6.30pm
What does a ‘queer family’ look like in South Tyneside?
The ‘We Are Family’ project is an opportunity for members of the LGBTQI+ community in South Tyneside to share your stories and histories as part of a photography and creative arts project and exhibition. We are looking at what it means to be a family beyond blood and DNA. This could be queer families, adoptive families, chosen families, step families and other ways that people in South Tyneside have chosen to build and define their relations.
The project will start with photos and material from photographer Phyllis Christopher’s archive to stimulate story-telling, writing, drawing and photography of your South Tyneside histories.
Nibbles commissions are underway!
Nibbles is a reimagined version of The Cultural Spring’s successful Bitesize commissions. These small-scale commissions match creatives with local venues and community groups to develop and test new ideas for performances in their communities.
Our first profile update features writer and director Christina Dawson, who has partnered with Hospitality and Hope to create a play centered around the opening question: “What do you want to say to the world?”
Since July, Christina has been meeting with volunteers to develop a script based on stories gathered during these sessions.
on September 24th some of the volunteers from Hospitality and Hope met Christina and actors at the Customs House to have a read through of the working script.
Phillipa Wilson – playing Liz
Zoe Lambert – playing Victoria (Vee)
Chris Iddon – playing Simon
Christina Dawson – playing Edith
Wilf Stone - (read stage directions)
The sessions are shaping a vibrant, community-driven performance that reflects the voices and experiences of those involved. Keep watching this space for updates!
“Fantastic, I was moved.
Wanting more.
Wonderful working together.
Poetic.
Amazing.
Full of humour.
The characters came to life.
Thank you for looking after VEE.”
What is Nibbles?
Nibbles is a reimagined version of The Cultural Spring’s successful Bitesize commissions. Nibbles are small-scale commissions where creatives will be matched with local venues and/or community groups to create and test out new ideas for performances in their communities
Each commission is an opportunity to explore themes relevant to a local area or group, using the expertise of artists and performers to develop and trial these early-stage ideas together.
Because great things often start small, Nibbles is all about bite-sized bursts of creativity, small but mighty pop-up events that bring theatre, art, music, and performance right into the heart of communities across Sunderland and South Tyneside.
Just like sharing a plate of good food brings people together, these commissions are designed to be collaborative, inviting artists, musicians and performers to serve up unforgettable experiences.
Our Commissions
Dr Kate Sweeney and Phyllis Christoper
Kate and Phyllis Christopher are artists whose practices explore queer kinship, LGBT+ history, and community collaboration through archives, photography, and participatory projects. Their ‘We Are Family’ project is an opportunity for members of the LGBTQI+ community in South Tyneside to share stories and histories as part of a photography and creative arts project and exhibition.
Hannah Walker
Hannah is a comedy performer and theatre maker creating autobiographical work that opens conversations around overlooked or stigmatised aspects of everyday life. For this commission, Hannah will be creating space for people affected by addiction to speak openly, feel heard and push for change.
Christina Dawson
Christina is a South Shields-based actor, writer, and theatre maker with 20 years’ experience of the arts. She uses drama and writing to uncover shared themes, celebrate identity, and build connection. For this commission, she is posing an open question to groups across South Tyneside:
‘What do you want to say to the world?’"
Marty Longstaff and Ray Hopkins - Sunderland Music City
Marty’s creative work centres on storytelling through song and collaborative workshops, fostering dialogue and shared understanding and connection. Marty will collaborate with like-minded songwriter Ray Hopkins, who has written 200+ songs and founded the inclusive music group A Band Like This. Their commission will link music-making with allotments, focusing on collaboration, sensory engagement, and celebrating participants’ stories with a focus on engaging older people and those without regular access to cultural spaces.
Performance Ensemble
A collective of older artists. They co-create high level performance work, inspired by real stories of the older people who participate in their projects. Performance Ensemble’s Bench Encounters project is inspired by Zimbabwe’s Friendship Bench project, a mental health initiative created in Zimbabwe in response to the lack of mental health services. This commission will be across Sunderland and South Tyneside and will be led by filmmaker and older artist Alex Elliot and supported by Alan Lyddiard, Artistic Director of Performance Ensemble.
King Ink
King Ink CIC is home to Sunderland’s hidden poets, hosting the region’s largest open mic night at Pop Recs since 2022. The group runs workshops, youth groups, publishes anthologies, and collaborates with local communities through residencies, performances, and a podcast. James Whitman writer and creative writing tutor will be leading on this commission which will be run in conjunction with Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen where participants will co-create poems and short films culminating in a sharing event and public screening in 2026.
Funding for the Nibbles project in Sunderland will come from The Cultural Spring’s Arts Council England funding; in South Tyneside, funding from the UK Government, from South Tyneside Council and in partnership with the South Tyneside Cultural Partnership group. The Cultural Spring is funded by Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places programme and works to increase the number of people participating in arts and culture in Sunderland.
