Culture Digest 19.06.26
A round up of the arts and culture stories which caught our eye this week. Spoiler: Dan Burn makes his Cultured. North East debut
Don’t get Burn-ed: Dan fronts sun safety campaign
It seems Blyth-born footballer Dan Burn has signed a new Boots deal… but not for his size 11s.
The popular player is starring in a new advert for the high street chemist which proves his defensive instincts extend well beyond the pitch.
The Newcastle United and England defender heads up the latest campaign for Soltan sunscreen, encouraging everyone to stay protected in the sun with the gloriously silly slogan: Back of the Neck.
In the advert, Dan ‘Won’t’ Burn patrols the pitch spraying players and even the referee on the backs of their necks to keep them sun-safe.
North East production company Candle and Bell was involved in the shoot, supporting production across crew, set design, casting and logistics.
The campaign lands at a timely moment, with Burn currently in the USA for the World Cup with England, where soaring temperatures have seen players taking hydration breaks during matches.
It’s good to know the squad are in safe hands… and we’re sure his team mates haven’t mentioned his sun-protection sideline even once.
Newcastle craft fair draws makers from far and wide
The second Great Northern Contemporary Craft & Art Fair opened with a Thursday preview evening that appeared to auger well for the weekend.
It was a sociable occasion – so many makers, all with a story to tell and seemingly eager to tell it – and if the weekend also proves profitable for the exhibitors then its long-term future could be assured.
For director Ann-Marie Franey, profit is not the name of the game. Her Great Northern Events is a not-for-profit company supported by Arts Council England (ACE) through the National Lottery.
But having mounted her first Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair in Manchester in 2008 (this October’s will be the 18th, one having been lost to Covid) she is keen to get the Newcastle fair just as firmly established.
Sweet dreams are made of this… if you’re a poet
Sunderland musician Dave Stewart is offering poets the chance to collaborate with him on a new competition with a pretty extraordinary prize.
The Eurythmics star has launched an international poetry search inviting people to submit videos of themselves performing original poems.
The winning entry will earn the chance to have Dave - a Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee whose many honours also include four Ivor Novello and four BRIT Awards - compose and produce original music to accompany their poem.
In an unusual twist, the Sunderland-born songwriter says the winner will also retain full rights to the music, allowing them to use, distribute or even sell the finished work however they choose.
Farewell to County Hall as exhibition marks final chapter
More than 60 years after opening, County Hall at Aykley Heads is preparing to close its doors — and a special exhibition next week will mark the end of an era for County Durham.
The exhibition, taking place on June 26 from 9am to 4pm, will look back at the history of Durham County Council’s longtime headquarters through photographs, original architectural drawings, archive footage and personal memories.
Cllr Robbie Rodiss, Chairman of Durham County Council, said: “When County Hall opened in the 1960s, there was an onsite barber, a bank, a shop, a bar and even a restaurant for councillors with silver service. These are long gone, but the sense of community has remained.
“This event is an opportunity for employees and councillors, past and present, and anyone with an interest in the building or local history, to take a last look inside.”
Staff will leave the building in August ahead of its demolition and the redevelopment of Aykley Heads as Durham Innovation District.
From student to honorary graduate for Joe McElderry
Singer Joe McElderry is set to become the first person to receive an honorary degree from Newcastle College University Centre.
The South Shields performer, who rose to national fame after winning The X Factor in 2009, will be awarded an Honorary Degree in Musical Theatre at the university centre’s graduation ceremony on July 10, recognising his contribution to music and performing arts.
Listen to Joe’s new single - out today. What a week he’s having!
The honour carries particular significance for Joe, who studied a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts at Newcastle College between 2008 and 2009 - completing his course while competing on the ITV talent show which saw him mentored by Geordie Girls Aloud singer, Cheryl Tweedy.
He said: “I was genuinely overwhelmed when I found out I was receiving an Honorary Degree from Newcastle College. It was something I never expected and it feels incredibly special to be recognised by a place that played such an important role in my journey. Read more
A reel success story
The box office at Tyneside Cinema is celebrating after the venue’s Desert Island Flicks series clocked up a 100% sell out record.
Launched in summer 2025, the live event series has quickly become one of the cinema’s most popular offerings, welcoming more than 850 people over its first four editions.
Guests so far have included James Purefoy, Stewart Lee, Bill Bailey and, most recently, Christopher Eccleston.
Hosted by actor and comedian Dave Johns, best known for his role in I, Daniel Blake, the format sees guests share the films which have shaped their lives and careers, blending clips, conversation and audience interaction to create something more intimate than a standard Q&A. Read more
Ninety-nine years old and steaming in for a North East debut
Dora, a 99-year-old steam locomotive, will be making her North East debut at a heritage railway gala event this weekend.
She will appear for the first time in the North East at Tanfield Railway’s Legends of Industry event on Saturday and Sunday (June 20-21).
Newly-restored, Dora is one of only a handful of surviving steam locomotives built by the Bristol-based Avonside Engine Company and was constructed in 1927 for the British Electricity Authority.
The engine, normally based on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway in West Yorkshire, will join six of Tanfield’s own steam locomotives.
Picture this: photographers wanted in the North East
The North East Mayoral Strategic Authority is inviting freelance photographers to apply for a new talent pool.
The authority (formerly known as the North East Combined Authority) is looking for creatives who can capture the modern North East through images reflecting the region’s people, places, energy and ambition.
Recognising that photographers bring different styles and specialisms, the callout aims to build a diverse roster for future commissions.
All the information required to (figuratively) throw your viewfinder in the ring is here.
Ali legacy inspires new community project
A new North East community initiative inspired by the legacy of Muhammad Ali is aiming to bring people together across cultures, faiths and backgrounds ahead of the 50th anniversary of the boxer’s historic visit to the region.
Launched by the Asians of the North Foundation, the project will use Ali’s story to inspire young people while promoting community connection and understanding.
Founder Andy Mahmood said: “No unity without community.
“Years ago, communities stuck together regardless of religion, culture or background. We want to bring some of that spirit back and remind people that we’re all part of the same community.”
Plans include educational events and screenings of City of Ali, with organisers hoping to take the programme into schools, colleges and universities across the region during 2027.
Artists invited to be part of Berwick's creative 'journey'
Artists in north Northumberland or the Scottish Borders have until midnight on Sunday, June 28 to apply for three new artist studio bursaries at Berwick Barracks.
On offer to artists at any stage of their career is dedicated studio space within the historic site plus financial and mentoring support.
Two are standard studio bursaries, giving successful applicants free use of a studio for one month between October and next March, support in developing their practice and two mentoring sessions with James Lowther, head of visual arts at The Maltings.
The third is a specialist bursary, offered in partnership with Berwick Open Studios, to enable an artist without access to a studio or exhibition space to take part in Berwick Open Studios 2026.
Project connects ancient and modern migration
Refugees are to work with Roman forts in Northumberland to plot the movement of ancient peoples from afar to destinations along Hadrian’s Wall.
The project is a collaboration between the West End Refugee Service (WERS) in Newcastle and the Vindolanda Trust.
The Trust holds significant archaeological collections from the Roman forts of Vindolanda and Magna Roman Fort, and the project will use pottery finds to investigate the movement of people, objects and ideas in the ancient world.
This follows the discovery of pottery vessels whose style and form reflect ancient North African pottery types at both Magna and Vindolanda.
The Trust, through its current National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported excavations at Magna, is embarking on the 12-month research project with refugees and people seeking asylum who have made their own journeys to the North East.
The project is led by Sophie Westlake, activity and diversity officer of the Magna Project, and Dr Cristina Crizbasan, pottery specialist and post-excavation supervisor at the Vindolanda Trust.
They will work in partnership with WERS, which delivers services to people seeking asylum and refugees across the region. Read more
Shopping lists, 'tea bags' and Union Jack in new exhibition
A first exhibition in the North of England by the Mügge brothers, Christoph and Sebastian, involves the work of many other artists and creators whose identities would require a lot of digging to uncover.
They will have designed the matchboxes and postcards and spoons and all the other bits and pieces of ephemera artfully displayed in Mourning Tea Tyne & Lost Frequencies.
In some cases, though, there are clues.
“Do you know who this person is who looks like Colonel Sanders?” asks Sebastian at the Globe Gallery, North Shields, indicating the bust of an elderly gentleman with a bushy moustache.
I have no idea but there’s a clue in the painting hanging opposite, showing a man in a rowing boat. It’s credited to John Falconer Slater (born: Newcastle, 1857) whose likeness was captured in that bust.
Major milestone for cultural venue upgrade
A multimillion-pound transformation of The Customs House has moved a step closer after a contractor was appointed to deliver the redevelopment of the South Shields cultural venue.
GMI Construction Group will carry out the refurbishment of the Grade II listed building, marking a major milestone in plans to modernise the riverside landmark while preserving its historic character.
Backed by Local Regeneration Fund investment secured by South Tyneside Council, the project forms a key part of wider regeneration plans for South Shields town centre and riverside.
The scheme will include internal upgrades to the main building, improvements to décor and layout, enhancements to existing café and restaurant spaces, and a new first-floor bar. Read more
Discover North Tyneside’s hidden gardens
A circuit of gardens are inviting visitors to join in a day devoted to celebrating community green spaces and growing.
On Saturday (June 20), five North Tyneside gardens will welcome people in a free event titled the Great Community Garden Crawl.
The event is organised by North Tyneside Voluntary Organisations Development Agency (VODA), which works in the voluntary and community sector, championing volunteers, empowering organisations and making voices heard.
Blue plaque honours Mo Mowlam
One of the most influential figures in modern British politics has been honoured with a blue plaque at the North East university where she studied.
The plaque to Dr Marjorie “Mo” Mowlam at her former college celebrates her time at Durham University and her contribution to peace and public service.
Mo Mowlam studied anthropology and sociology at Trevelyan College from October 1968 to 1971.
She joined the Labour Party in her first year, became secretary of the Durham Union Society in 1969, and later served as vice president of Durham Students’ Union.
After graduating, she worked as a research assistant to Tony Benn and for writer Alvin Toffler.
The blue plaque has been installed following a nomination from the Women’s Banner Group, in collaboration with the City of Durham Parish Council and the university. Read more