Culture Digest 30.01.26
A round up of the arts and culture stories which caught our attention over the past week or so...
From this Sunday: a new way to read Cultured. North East
Before you get into this week’s basket of the region’s arts and culture news, a quick bit of housekeeping.
From this Sunday, we’re launching a new free newsletter: Cultured. On Sunday. It’s something we’ve been thinking about for a while, and the first Sunday of a new month seemed like a good time to press the ‘send-at-the-weekend’ button.
We’re thinking of this as our weekend edition made up of longer features, regular recommendations across books, TV, film and theatre, guest columns, the odd serving of foodie delights and other stuff I’m sure we haven’t thought of yet.
With this in mind, Culture Digest is tightening up its focus a bit. From now on, our Friday newsletter will concentrate more clearly on arts and culture news including announcements, commissions, openings, appointments, funding decisions, calls-outs and other things that make us sit up and pay attention*.
*Remember, if you have anything you want to tell us about, digest@culturednortheast.co.uk is an excellent email to use.
So, from hereon, this is how the weekly CNE newsletter schedule will shape up:
Tuesday – Curated Culture: A selected what’s-on guide and forward look.
Friday – Culture Digest: North East arts and culture news.
Sunday – Cultured. On Sunday: Recommendations, longer reads and features for the weekend.
Sound good? Smashing. See you on Sunday.
New Writing North challenges London bias in national debut novel list
New Writing North has used a national round-up of debut fiction to shine a light on the structural imbalance facing writers outside the capital – and to underline why new infrastructure in the regions is urgently needed.
The Best Debut Novelists of 2026 list from The Observer features eight writers described by the organisation as “brilliant”, but only one of them lives and works outside London. In total, 87% of the list is drawn from a city that accounts for around 15% of the UK population.
New Writing North is clear that the issue is not the talent of the writers - who do hail from far and wide - but argues that when a national outlet publishes a list so heavily weighted towards the capital, it exposes a deeper London bias in how literary success is recognised and shouted about.
That imbalance is a key driver behind the Newcastle-based organisation’s plans to open a new centre for writing and publishing in the city, in partnership with Northumbria University and backed by national and regional funders. The centre will bring publishers, agents and emerging writers together under one roof, increasing the likelihood that writers in the North East can build sustainable careers without having to relocate to London.
Ever helpful, New Writing North has also published ‘a (non-definitive) complementary Northern Debut Novelists 2026 list, spotlighting debut writers from across the North – including several based in the North East – and offering an alternative snapshot of where new literary talent is thriving.
We thought it only polite to share them here too:
Heba Al-Wasity, Greater Manchester, Weavingshaw (Bantam); Alys Cummings, North Tyneside, Murder Most Cryptic (Michael Joseph); Stu Hennigan, Leeds, Keshed (Ortac Press); K. L. Kaine, Yorkshire, Blood of Gods and Girls (Penguin); Rebecca Philipson, Durham, How to Get Away with Murder (Transworld); Louise Powell, Middlesbrough, Underdogs (John Murray Originals); Gab Torr, Sheffield, Hard Place (Simon & Schuster); and Shaun Wilson, Cumbria, Malc’s Boy (Conduit Books).
North East Museums boss joins Prime Minister on China trip
Keith Merrin, director of North East Museums, joined a UK delegation visiting China this week to discuss cultural and economic ties.
The delegation included government officials – among them Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Peter Kyle – alongside nearly 60 representatives from British business, sport and culture.
Mr Merrin’s role was to promote the strength of the creative industries and the “rich and unique art, culture and heritage of North East England”, including the 12 museums and galleries managed by North East Museums, while advocating for the wider museum sector.
“This has been an amazing opportunity to promote the history and creativity of the communities of North East England as well as making connections and exploring ways we can potentially work with museums and cultural institutions in China – another country with a long and fascinating history,” he said.
Other cultural organisations in the delegation included, Birmingham Museums Trust, Edinburgh International Book Festival, National Galleries of Scotland, National Museums Liverpool, National Theatre, Natural History Museum, Royal Museums Greenwich, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Shakespeare Company, Science Museum and the V&A Museum.
The group visited Beijing and Shanghai, meeting Chinese government and business leaders and visiting the Forbidden City.
Programme unveiled for Tyne Valley Film Festival
Tickets are on sale for the 2026 Tyne Valley Film Festival, which returns for its sixth edition from March 13-27.
Bringing a two-week, community-powered celebration of cinema to 22 venues across the Tyne Valley and and the Star and Shadow Cinema in Newcastle, this year’s programme once again spans previews and premieres, archive screenings, re-releases and special events.
Led by the team at Hexham’s Forum Cinema, the festival will deliver 39 screenings including Mark Jenkin’s new film, The Rose of Nevada; a showcase celebrating South Shields animation queen, Sheila Graber (including a Q&A); and a shorts showcase spotlighting films made in the North East.
We’ll be doing a more fulsome preview in the coming weeks, but wanted to put this on your radar sharpish. The full programme can be found, and bookings made via the website.
City Guides join with museums to spread stories far and wide
Newcastle City Guides, those friendly folk who know the story behind every city landmark, nook and cranny, have joined North East Museums in what looks a marriage of like minds.
North East Museums cares for more than a million objects and its mission is “to welcome and connect people to the past, present and future of the North East through stories, shared spaces and experiences”.
Newcastle City Guides was established as an organisation in 1962 and its members are volunteers who love the city and its rich history.
They offer walking tours of Newcastle – and also Gateshead – bringing to life the people and stories behind familiar landmarks and other interesting features that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Not limited to the big urban centres, they also venture further afield with guided tours of neighbourhoods including Jesmond, Gosforth and Tynemouth. They can even take you to the top of Grey’s Monument.
Famous Geordie faces turn out for Gerry and Sewell’s West End run
The cast of Gerry and Sewell welcomed some high-profile Geordie support during the final week of the production’s two-week West End run.
Presenter Declan ‘Dec’ Donnelly (tough to know how to refer to him when he turns up solo) and music star Sam Fender both grabbed their tickets for performances at the Aldwych Theatre, catching the show during its closing stretch.
The both spent time with the cast and creative team after the show, congratulating them on the production’s West End success and raising a glass to its journey from the North East to one of London’s most prominent stages.
An adaptation of Jonathan Tulloch’s book, The Season Ticket and the associated 2000 film, Purely Belter, Gerry and Sewell centres on two Gateshead lads and their shared obsession with scraping enough cash to secure their seats at St James’ Park.
The play started life in an attic theatre at Laurels in Whitley Bay before enjoying sell out runs at Live Theatre and Newcastle Theatre Royal and securing a two-week residency at the top of the Strand.
Gerry and Sewell will be back on stage at Newcastle Theatre Royal from June 9-13. Tickets from the website.
New Bronze Age discoveries rewrite Cheviot Hills history
Evidence has been unearthed of prehistoric farming in the hills of Northumberland earlier than previously believed.
Excavations at Harden Quarry in the Cheviot Hills have revealed insights into Bronze Age life more than 4,000 years ago, with the discoveries featuring in this week’s episode of BBC Two’s Digging for Britain (Jan 28).
Archaeologists uncovered the Bronze Age settlement on a hilltop, with outlines where roundhouses once stood, along with fields and clearance cairns, or piles of stones cleared by the prehistoric farmers to create fields.
Cult comedy show to put blood among the blossoms
Northern Stage has teamed up for the first time with Derby Theatre to co-produce cult musical Little Shop of Horrors, coming the way of North East audiences in May.
It’s not the first time the show has been to this venue.
I saw it there in the 1990s, or it might even have been the 1980s, and although I can’t remember if it was a home-grown production I do recall that it went down a storm.
The director this time is to be Sarah Brigham, artistic director and chief executive of Derby Theatre.
Play don’t pay
North East grassroots bands are being offered free weekly stage time as Newcastle city centre venue, The Newgate Social opens its doors every Thursday in 2026 to emerging artists.
Bands can take 100% of ticket sales, with no hire fee, provided they can sell a minimum of 80 tickets and cover sound engineer costs. For shows selling more than 200 tickets, the venue will cover the engineer fee.
The initiative aims to remove financial barriers and support the region’s live music scene, giving bands the chance of a packed room, a proper stage and space to build momentum without having to add a ‘room hire’ line on their budget.
Email enquiries@newgatesocial.co.uk to find out more.
Fancy taking to the stage for Durham Fringe?
If performing at Durham Fringe was on your 2026 new year’s resolutions list, then don’t tarry.
There’s only a little over two weeks to get your application in.
Now in its sixth year, the burgeoning five-day event returns to venues across the city from July 29 to August 2.
Organisers are looking for all manner of performing arts and artists. Comedy, theatre, dance, musicals, children’s shows, spoken word, circus, magic, music and mime are all on their wish list.
For more information, visit the website.
‘Scary but lovely’ - Smoggie Queens actor takes on Mastermind
Middlesbrough actor and writer, Phil Dunning took his seat in television’s most famous black chair for an episode of Celebrity Mastermind.
The star and creator of BBC Three sitcom, Smoggie Queens competed alongside former England footballer Stuart Pearce, presenter Gemma Cairney and comedian Axel Blake, answering questions from host Clive Myrie, while raising money for North East LGBTQIA+ charity Curious Arts.
Writing on Instagram after the episode aired, Phil, who recently wrapped on filming on series 2 of Smoggies, said: “A very scary TV show but a very lovely time had actually. Delighted to have raised some money for the incredible charity @curious_arts who do such amazing work in the North East.”
His specialist subject was the late comedian and presenter Paul O’Grady. You’ll have to watch it on iPlayer to see how he did.
Durham to blow hot and cold once more
Free family event Fire & Ice will return to Durham at the end of next month.
February 27 and 28 are the dates to note down if you fancy seeing streets filled with ice sculptures, live carving demonstrations and fire-led performances.
It will also be a treat for anyone who needs an excuse and/or little bit of encouragement to explore the city on foot - thanks to a themed trail.