Culture Digest 19.12.25
A round up of the arts and culture stories which caught our attention over the past two week or so…
Photographer Tish Murtha to get big Baltic exhibition
A major exhibition of photos by the late Tish Murtha (born Patricia but always known as Tish) is to be a summer highlight of Baltic’s programme for 2026.
It’s been a long time coming, you might think, and represents further significant endorsement of a photographer whose career grew – quite literally – from the rubble of Newcastle’s West End, when Elswick streets were being razed and she found a battered old camera in a condemned house.
She died in 2013, aged 56, and her reputation has grown steadily since, largely due to the efforts of her daughter Ella, who has protected her archive, but also because the art world has come to recognise her importance as a naturally gifted documentary photographer.
Her story was told in Paul Sng’s film Tish, released in 2023 and a hit at the Tyneside Cinema and elsewhere, and musician Sam Fender recently paid homage, using Tish’s photography on the sleeve of his Mercury Prize-winning album, People Watching.
From the founders of Viz comes Codswallop and Chips
In the very nick of time… along comes the perfect Christmas present for the Viz fan in your life. And weirdly, it’s not the Viz Annual (although that would probably do nicely, come to think of it).
But this is a new comic produced by Viz founders Chris and Simon Donald – or “errant Viz magazine founders” as they describe themselves on the front cover of the very first issue of Codswallop and Chips.
It’s presented as a periodical but I’ve a sneaking suspicion this might be the one and only, since it’s to be published by the Globe Gallery on a Thursday every 800 years.
This late flowering of Viz-style comic genius from the Donald brothers – or “scurrilous farrago of gutter language,” according to Major Reginald Umbrage-Bligh (Ret’d), a possibly invented contributor to the letters page – is part of the North Shields 800 celebrations.
Merry stitchmas!
Newcastle has joined the global granny-square craze with a towering 10ft crocheted Christmas tree created by a group of crafters aged 55 to 87.
The Knitters, Movers and Shakers - a free weekly crafting and movement group run by dance company balletLORENT - produced the tree in just four weeks, stitching together hundreds of colourful squares at their Friday sessions at the John Marley Centre in the West End of the city.
Topped with a golden crocheted star, the tree now stands in the foyer of balletLORENT’s Scotswood studio. No new wool was bought for the project, with the group instead making use of leftover yarn donated or gathered over time.
David Nellist’s Protest Song wins star-studded support in New York
David Nellist is feeling the bite of a New York winter. “It’s so cold,” he says, laughing at how the wind can suddenly whip down a street with enough force to halt your stride.
But even the sharpest gust can’t dull the fact that he’s having a pretty special time.
The much-loved and accomplished Newcastle actor is there with a new run of Protest Song, Tim Price’s fierce, funny and deeply humane one-man play inspired by a homeless man swept into the Occupy London movement of 2011/12.
Preparations in full swing for Gerry and Sewell’s West End debut
Rehearsals are now underway for Gerry and Sewell as the hit North East production gears up for an exciting two-week West End run at London’s Aldwych Theatre from January 13.
Eastlake Productions, which is co-producing the production with Newcastle Theatre Royal, has assembled a stellar cast for its capital outing.
Chelsea Halfpenny, Katherine Dow Blyton, Matty Renton, Patrick Ziza and Bill Fellows among those joining returning actors Jack Robertson, Dean Logan, Becky Clayburn and Erin Mullen, who all appeared in the show’s most recent run at Newcastle Theatre Royal.
Written and directed by Jamie Eastlake, the production continues to build momentum following its acclaimed regional success, comprising two sellout runs at Laurels in Whitley Bay and one at Live Theatre before its promotion to the top of Grey Street.
Gerry and Sewell’s upcoming West End stint marks a major milestone for the team - and audiences who can’t make it down to the capital will get another chance to catch it at the Theatre Royal in June.
Look out for a full report from inside the rehearsal room before the year is out.
County Durham culture programme reveals year-one results
Into the Light, County Durham’s cultural initiative, has shared its first-year results, setting out the scope of work completed to date.
According to figures released by the programme, nearly 600 creative practitioners and freelancers have been supported through commissions and development opportunities, while more than 7,000 people have taken part in workshops, performances and creative activity. Events across the county attracted over 14,000 live audience members, with a reported digital reach of more than 34,000.
Programme director Julia Handelman-Smith said: “These numbers make clear how Into the Light is shining a light on County Durham’s unique and thriving cultural identity. We are supporting creatives and heritage professionals across our county, with our programme bringing celebration and opportunity to residents, creatives and visitors alike.”
Jane Tarr, director North East, Arts Council England, said: “It’s fantastic to see that Into the Light has supported so many artists and engaged so many participants and audiences in its first year – it is a great achievement.”
Artistic projects delivered during the year included Nana’s House, an exhibition by visual artist Ruth Flowers in partnership with Peterlee-based No More Nowt, and two productions by Horden theatre company Ensemble ’84 following its six-month paid training programme.
Funded by Durham County Council, the National Lottery through Arts Council England, and the UK Government through the Shared Prosperity Fund, Into the Light now moves into its second year with further commissions, community projects and research partnerships planned.
Remembering Paul Collard, visual arts champion and 'visionary'
There was a large turnout at Hexham Abbey on Wednesday for the funeral of Paul Collard whose recent untimely death at the age of 71 shocked and saddened a lot of people.
The service was conducted by the Rev’d Canon David Glover and it featured moving eulogies by Paul’s son, Ben, and daughter, Bryony, and also by his brother, Ron, six years his senior.
They spoke of a man who, though taken too soon, had led a fulfilling and adventurous life, a diplomat’s son whose early years were spent in various different countries until he was sent to boarding school in Britain.
North East music boss to sit on influential Government body
Mick Ross, chief executive of Generator, the Newcastle-based music development organisation for the North East, is to sit on a revamped Creative Industries Council (CIC).
Sometimes you have to be a little bit… blocky!
Fenwick Newcastle has a new festive guest - a life-sized LEGO® sculpture of Roald Dhal legend, Matilda, created in partnership with Sunderland Empire to celebrate the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical heading to the region in February.
The brick-built model of the special youngster who champions the excellent notion that ‘sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty’ is on display in the Northumberland Street store’s famous toy department until January 11.
Shoppers can also enter a competition to win a family ticket to the show plus a Tonie Box simply by scanning the QR code beside the model.
Matilda The Musical runs at Sunderland Empire from February 11-28.
Blades of glory: Torvill & Dean's last dance
On the Sunday after Christmas - that slightly woozy lull when the nation collectively reaches for the remote, a leftover mince pie or something equally comforting - ITV is offering the ultimate nostalgia blanket.
Torvill & Dean: The Last Dance is a one-off documentary following Britain’s most beloved ice duo as they take their final bow.
Made by North East production company Film Nova, the film charts Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s farewell tour, bringing together half a century of memories, extraordinary athleticism and legendary moments on the ice.
For many, Jayne and Chris are inseparable from the Britain of their childhoods - a time when there were only a handful of TV channels and certain moments became instant national history.
Their iconic Bolero at the 1984 Winter Olympics is right up there with Dirty Den serving Ange the divorce papers in Eastenders. I once answered Bolero to the task of ‘something purple’ in Scattegories.
Musicians raise over £50,000 to tackle child poverty in Sunderland
A Sunderland charity supporting families experiencing financial hardship has received more than £50,000 after musicians from across the region united for a major fundraising concert.
Love, Amelia, which provides essential items, emotional support and community-driven initiatives for children and families, was presented with cheque for more than £51k following this year’s Music Against Child Poverty event, organised by Sunderland Music City and held at The Fire Station on December 14.
Now in its second year, the fundraising concert brought together a diverse line-up of performers who donated their time, including Mickey Callisto, Frankie Francis, Small Town Brass, Ani Sandwith, Manny 234, Kathryn Williams, Tom A Smith, The Cornshed Sisters and The Lake Poets.
Funding boost helps Young Gardeners group to grow
The Alnwick Garden’s Young Gardeners group will soon be able to expand their work after receiving funding for a new polytunnel, made possible through sponsorship of the Water Tower Light Installation in this year’s Winter Lights trail.
The support from housing developer Lovell will help the programme continue offering gardening experience and social opportunities to young people with additional needs.
Lauren St Hilaire, senior partnerships manager at The Alnwick Garden, said: “Thanks to Lovell’s generous sponsorship, we will be able to fund a new polytunnel that will provide invaluable learning opportunities and a space for creativity to flourish.”
The Winter Lights trail runs until January 4.
REVIEW: The Wizard of Oz, People's Theatre, Newcastle
Panto season can be a time of defining memories, of wonderful theatrical spectacle and pitch-perfect performance. It can also, frankly, be a bit of a Pandora’s box, unleashing all manner of horrors upon us.
It’s Christmas. A lot can be forgiven by an audience with enough mulled wine inside it.
But on the other hand, for any serious theatre group or company – professional or amateur – a lot can ride on it. The funding of a forthcoming season of adventurous programming, for instance.
Where, you’ll be thinking, is this review going?
Well, the good news (there’s no bad, rest assured) is that the People’s Panto of 2026 does just what it says on the tin, or at least on the front of the programme where it’s billed as “a Wicked Pantomime by Tom Whalley”.
Miners’ Strike campaigner recognised for lifetime of community service
A woman who played a leading part in the regional and national fight against pit closures during the Miners’ Strike is to be awarded an honorary degree by Durham University.
Miner’s daughter Heather Wood, who has dedicated her life to serving communities across County Durham and beyond, told her story of growing up in the Easington pit community in her 2023 book, Just a Pit Lass.
She said: “It’s always been a goal of mine to write my story, which in so many ways is the story of many working class folk. Our history is not often written by those who lived it. I have no doubt it will never win any great place in the literary world but it’s there, it’s down and it’s all true.
“It’s my story but it’s also a story that is representative of the strong mining families of the British coalfields. My hope is that those reading it will get a sense of the community spirit and the friendships that made mining villages special.”
Heather will receive her Honorary Master of Arts degree during the university’s winter congregation ceremonies at Durham Cathedral from January 8–9.
Book born from family's traumatic chapter celebrates Northumbrian food and countryside
A traumatic family emergency has inspired Northumberland caterer Clara Nicholl to publish a book that blends storytelling, local wildlife and comforting recipes into what she describes as a celebration of resilience and rural life.
The Great Wildlife Cook-Off: Food & Fables from Honeycrook Farm grew out of the aftermath of a devastating quad bike accident in 2022, which left Clara’s young daughter Elsie with life-threatening injuries.
Following the accident, Elsie - then 10 - was airlifted to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary and spent months in intensive care. Clara, faced with long days and nights on the ward, found herself writing as a way to cope: collecting recipes, sketching animals and building an imagined world where woodland and farm creatures take part in an exuberant countryside cook-off.
Pre-Raphs to be the Laing Art Gallery's star attraction in 2026
One of the Laing Art Gallery’s most popular paintings is William Holman Hunt’s 1868 creation, Isabella and the Pot of Basil. Many visitors seek it out and when Isabella’s out on loan there’s a sense of loss.
In 2026 the painting will have pride of place along with others of its ilk in an exhibition called Pre-Raphaelites: Art and Poetry which the Laing are billing as the first in-depth exploration of the connection between Pre-Raphaelite art and poetry.
The radical Pre-Raphaelite art movement was started in the middle of the 19th Century by artists including Hunt, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and John Everett Millais who, rejecting the teachings of the time, sought inspiration from Italian art before Raphael (1483-1510).
Pre-Raphaelite paintings are vivid, dramatic, highly detailed and often literary or moralistic in subject matter.
They have fallen in and out of fashion over the years but nowadays are widely loved and admired.
Julie Milne, chief curator of art galleries at North East Museums, calls this exhibition “long overdue and the highlight of the year”.
Castle sale unveils vast hoard of art, antiques and silver
An extensive collection of art, antiques and silver from an “outstanding” North of England mansion house is to be sold by auction.
The Grade I listed Corby Castle, six miles from Carlisle, has been sold after being placed on the market with an asking price of £15m.
The collection will go under the hammer in a three-day sale at Tennants Auctioneers, North Yorkshire, from January 22–24.
Pond restoration becomes a calendar pin-up
Supporters of a project to create a ponds nature attraction went into battle two years ago against around half a million soldiers.
The Soldier plants – a highly invasive non-native vegetation – had formed a solid green blanket over a pond which is a key part of a project to improve the value for people and wildlife of three ponds in the upper Ouseburn corridor area.
The plants were cleared in what was the first phase of a biodiversity plan drawn up by Woolsington Parish Council in Newcastle.
Work is now continuing on the project, which will help develop publicly accessible areas including a woodland walk around the water bodies with the long-term aim of creating a nature reserve around the Main Pond, Lilac Pond and Duke’s Pond.
Review: Sleeping Beauty at Sunderland Empire
Just a handful more sleeps until Christmas – but good luck persuading the little ‘uns to settle down under the duvet once they’ve been to this high-octane offering at Sunderland Empire.
The posters and the programme have Fairy Snowflake (Call the Midwife mainstay Laura Main) front and centre, and she certainly puts in a shift as she cleverly stitches the story together. A very impressive singing voice, too, which I don’t recall ever being given an airing over the 14 series of Midwife.
But the undoubted stars are the outrageous Rorina the Cleaner (Miss Rory) and her irrepressible son and sidekick Vesta the Jester (Tom Whalley). For comic timing, teamwork and delivery, you’d be hard-pushed to find a better panto pairing.
Ranger role brings fresh momentum to Wall’s nature recovery
Nature recovery in the Hadrian’s Wall area has taken a step forward with the recruitment of a specialist ranger.
The role, created thanks to funding from The Squires Foundation, will help deliver and expand the ambitions of the Hadrian’s Wall: Recovering Nature project.
Jonny Snape, former ranger on the Hadrian’s Wall National Trail, has been appointed to the role, bringing with him a strong background in conservation.
He said: “This role has opened my eyes to the bigger picture of conservation - from practical skills like flood management and habitat restoration to working closely with farmers, landowners, and partners.”
Winter trail launched at High Force
A new Polar Quest Trail has been launched at High Force Waterfall - just in time for the Christmas holidays.
Running daily throughout the festive period, the trail at the County Durham attraction transforms the popular circular route to the base of the 21-metre waterfall into a wintry woodland adventure.
Open from 10am to 3pm, families can wander through twinkling trees in search of crisp leaves, a festive wishing well, hidden reindeer, secret polar bears and squirrels stocking up for winter.
The trail is included with all admission tickets, with a £10 online family saver available.
Review: Goldilocks and the Three Bears at The Customs House, South Shields
Oh, what a circus!
This year’s Customs House pantomime unfolds beneath the Big Top, using its circus setting to give the familiar and beloved festive formula a colourful twist.
The story centres on Dame Bella, who faces the prospect of losing her beloved circus to the scheming Oli Garch (played with evident enjoyment by Steven Hamilton). When Goldilocks and the Three Bears escape from Garch’s rival circus, they join forces with Bella and her well-meaning but foolish nephew Dennis, setting the scene for a lively contest between good and bad.
Lindisfarne Festival celebrates national award success
Belated congratulations to the team behind Lindisfarne Festival who were toasting a win at the UK Festival Awards earlier this month.
The event, which was saved from cancellation just weeks ahead of its 10th anniversary event through fresh investment and the return of founding festival director, Conleth Maenpaa, was named as Best Small Festival at the ceremony on December 3.
Excitement now builds for the 2026 edition, with Faithless, Razorlight and The Proclaimers already announced for the main stage. Tickets on sale now.