Culture Digest 20.12.24
Our last 2024 round up of some of the arts and culture stories from across the North East which caught our attention this week
Culture Quiz 2024 coming soon
While this is the last Culture Digest of 2024, we wanted to give you the heads up that Friday, December 27 will herald the return of the end-of year Culture Quiz.
Three goodie bags, filled with tickets to see and experience performances, events and cultural attractions in 2025 will be up for grabs… and all you have to do to be in with a chance of winning one, is know your North East culture!
So, get revising!
Now, back to this week’s arts and culture news casserole…
Doctors orders force Sam Fender to cancel home fixture
North Shields’ music star, Sam Fender announced earlier this week that his arena gigs in Glasgow and Newcastle would not be going ahead as planned.
Citing an ongoing battle with the flu, the 30-year-old who had already thrilled crowds in Dublin, London, Manchester and Leeds during dates on the People Watching tour so far, said medical examinations had discovered a haemorrhaged right vocal cord, and doctors had told him he must rest.
In a statement, the ‘heartbroken’ singer said: "I've had two separate ENT doctors say if I perform tonight I'm risking lasting damage to my voice and I have been advised to be on vocal rest and not use my voice for a prolonged length of time until it heals. I've done everything by the book this tour living like a monk, it's so unlucky.”
Any hopes for a rescheduled date were dashed later in the week as ticket holders were told logistical difficulties meant it wouldn’t be possible, and they’d be getting a full refund.
Disappointed fans have been put on the waiting list for the trio of sold out stadium gigs booked for St James’ Park on June 12, 14 and 15… but we’re wondering whether June 13 might end up being lucky for some?
Read more: Newcastle Theatre Royal panto performers cruise home for Christmas
Sunday For Sammy tease return for 25th anniversary
A save-the-date teaser has been issued by the Sunday for Sammy Trust, trailing a year of events to mark the 25th anniversary of the popular Geordie fundraiser.
The last of biennial gigs - held in the name of late North East actor, Sammy Johnson to raise money for the region’s up-and-coming performers and creatives - took place at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena in February 2020, just weeks before the first Covid lockdown.
As ever, an army of North East performers took to the stage for what had become known as the Geordie Command Performance.
Since then, organisers, including founder Tim Healy and show producer, Ray Laidlaw have been looking for ways to bring the event back. And it sounds like the quarter of a century marker will be the time to do it.
On February 6, ‘exciting news’ will be shared at a Breakfast for Sammy event. Sounds tasty.
Dates and first details of Berwick’s 20th film and media arts festival
The 20th edition of Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival will take place from March 27 to 30, 2025, it has been announced.
The annual celebration of the moving image offers “a kaleidoscopic programme of film and discussion” in one of the country’s most history-laden towns.
The 20th festival is supported by Arts Council England, North East Combined Authority, Northumberland County Council, the Community Foundation and the British Film Industry with funds from the National Lottery.
Read more: Review - Jack and the Beanstalk at Sunderland Empire
Christmas comes early for Tom A Smith with Radio 2 debut
Sunderland singer, songwriter Tom A Smith was celebrating this week after clocking up his BBC Radio 2 debut with his Christmas track, This Christmas Time.
Not only that, but Tom also found himself alongside the likes of U2 and Coldplay on Apple Music’s alt. rock festive playlist while also travelling to London for a live session with John Kennedy on Radio X tonight (Friday).
Talk about finishing the year on a high.
Durham Fringe Festival booked in for 2025
Dates for the next Durham Fringe Festival have been confirmed.
The burgeoning event, which brings a raft of performances to venues all over Durham City, will take place from July 23-27, 2025.
Applications for those wishing to get a slot at the festival will open on January 3.
Keep your eye on the website for more information.
Line of Duty star books a duo of Day Fever shows on Tyneside for 2025
Actress Vicky McClure, filmmaker Jonny Owen and Reverend and the Makers frontman, Jon McClure are bringing their popular Day Fever events to Newcastle.
Two dates have been booked for the Boiler Shop (January 18 and February 15) - each promising a ‘joyous celebration’ offering people the chance to relive the magic of big nights out… but all between the hours of 3pm and 8pm.
Tickets available from the Boiler Shop website.
Exciting plans for the future of History
Tyneside is to be the new home for a prestigious publication.
History is the journal of the London-based Historical Association, which is a membership organisation of historians and scholars founded in 1906.
It will now be produced at Northumbria University, led by new editor-in-chief Dr Daniel Laqua and a team of 15 academics with expertise covering a wide variety of historical periods.
They will work together to oversee the next phase of the 112-year-old journal’s development.
The Young’uns announce tour to mark landmark celebrations
There will be a lot of candles on the cake next year for The Young’uns as Teesside’s popular folk trio celebrate two decades of singing together with a newly announced tour for 2025.
Singers Sean Cooney, Michael Hughes and David Eagle will also be celebrating landmark birthdays, each turning 40 during the UK tour.
Looking ahead to the forthcoming anniversary tour, Sean said: “It’s been quite a journey, from the back room of a pub in Stockton to the Albert Hall.
“We’ll be paying tribute to the singers who’ve inspired us and the songs that have taken us around the world and back.”
.Event to mark the end of the Vera era
Newcastle 02 City Hall has announced a special event to celebrate the crime fiction and sartorial phenomenon that is Vera.
Quarter of a century since author Ann Cleeves first introduced readers to the now iconic detective chief inspector, Vera Stanhope; and 13 years after Brenda Blethyn brought her to life for ITV viewers, audiences will be treated to an evening in the company of them both.
They will be interviewed on stage by TV presenter, Steph McGovern, who will chat to them about Ann’s latest book and the finale of the TV series, which begins on New Year’s Day.
Vera: End of an Era will take place on March 13. Tickets available from the City Hall website.
Read more: Curated Culture 17.12.24 - Our latest what’s on recommendations
Dave Flynn: 1974-2024
Max Roberts, former artistic director of Newcastle’s Live Theatre, offers an appreciation of Dave Flynn, the former colleague and “understated genius”, who has died suddenly.
Music initiative aims to level playing field for Black creatives
Generator, the music development agency based in Newcastle, has joined with Liverpool-based consultancy Nothin But The Music in a project aimed at creating opportunities for Black music creatives.
Its rather wordy title is The OPEN SAUCE x Generator - Black Music Incubator Project.
The initiative is part of Liverpool City Region’s music industry sector development pilot which was created thanks to the work of LCR Music Board’s Black Music Action Group.
Read more: Good news for heritage railways brings growth of different kinds
Rousing reception to Open Clasp film screening ‘Down Under’
Catrina McHugh, founder of Newcastle-based Open Clasp Theatre Company, has been reflecting on a trip to New Zealand and a special screening of the film version of the play Mycelial.
The title comes from nature and alludes to the way fungi create networks underground. In this context, it relates to a global network of sex workers who draw strength from each other’s support.
The play was co-created with sex workers from the UK, Ireland and New Zealand (Aotearoa) where sex work was decriminalised in 2003.
Catrina’s recent trip to meet her New Zealand co-creators came at the end of an international tour of the film.
Development confirmed for former Tyne Brand Factory
A culture of song and poetry has grown up around the days of the herring boats which landed huge catches of the then abundant fish.
The women who followed the fleet along the coast and joined the locals in gutting and packing the fish into barrels are celebrated in the recent installation of a herring girl sculpture on North Shields Fish Quay.
Now the last major surviving reminder of those days of plenty is about to vanish.
The Tyne Brand factory, which began life on the Fish Quay canning vast volumes of herring is in line for demolition early next year with the site the subject of a proposals for up to 140 homes.
Read more: Review - The Little Mermaid at Newcastle Theatre Royal
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet celebration benefits North East causes
Events organised to mark 40 years since Auf Wiedersehen, Pet graced TV screens have raised nearly £90k for two charities in the region.
FACT (Fighting All Cancers Together) and the Sunday for Sammy Trust will split the £87,450 raised following two sell-our concerts at Newcastle 02 City Hall in May this year.
Stars from the beloved TV series, including Jimmy Nail, Tim Healy, Kevin Whately and Christopher Fairbank, took to the stage for an evening of memories and music.
Organised by the Official Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Fan Site, more than 4,000 fans packed into the venue (over two performances) and many more have snapped up a DVD recording of the night’s proceedings. (You can still grab a copy via the website)
Keep up the good work. It is nice to know what is going on across the region!