Four North East writers and artists have been selected to develop new projects spanning theatre, film, poetry and publishing as part of the Creative Associates Programme
New Writing North, working with Live Theatre and Tyneside Cinema, will support the Creative Associates programme projects over the next six months, with funding from the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority’s Create Talent programme.
Actor and writer Christina Berriman Dawson will become writer-in-residence at Live Theatre, developing RAW, inspired by the underground free party movement in Newcastle and Northumberland.
The work will draw on rave culture to explore community, freedom, identity and politics, including the impact of the 1994 Criminal Justice Bill on the movement.
“Bringing this production to Live Theatre will be a leap in the dark for both of us. It will push at the walls of the venue,” said Christina.
“Live Theatre and I have been building a creative relationship for several years and have both been looking for the right project to cement a partnership.”
Jack McNamara, Live’s artistic director, added: “We can’t wait to welcome Christina and her talent into Live Theatre. She is a creative force who - through her work as a performer- understands writing from the inside.’
Newcastle writer-director Johnny Massahi joins Tyneside Cinema as screenwriter-in-residence, where he will finish his debut feature film, currently titled Iranian Pornographer.
The film follows an Iranian immigrant navigating the asylum system in the North East following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, who is pushed into underground employment as a pornographer and begins to lose his grip on reality.
“Tyneside Cinema has been a staple in my life for as long as I can remember, it has been a sanctuary, a film school and everything in between,” said Johnny.
“To be able to work here as a screenwriter is honestly a dream come true, a real full circle moment.”
Nic Greenan, CEO, Tyneside Cinema said: “Johnny represents the exceptional creative talent emerging from the North East. We’re proud to support him as he develops this powerful new project and to be part of his next chapter as a writer and filmmaker.”
Newcastle poet Ilisha Thiru Purcell will use her New Writing North residency to create a sequence of poems in response to and in conversation with the work of Julia Darling.
This year marks 70 years since Darling’s birth and just over 20 years since her death. Ilisha will also lead writing workshops exploring her work.
“Darling’s work has great personal importance to me and getting the opportunity to immerse myself in her writing is something that I am very grateful and excited about,” she said.
Anna Disley, executive director (Programme and Impact), New Writing North, said: “ Ilisha is very talented young poet and is inspired by Julia’s fierce love for the city of Newcastle, her embrace of the role of poetry in everyday life and as a pioneer of creative writing in health.”
The fourth Creative Associate is Northumberland-based writer and artist Stevie Ronnie, who will develop and pilot a new model for producing artist books, bringing writers directly into the design and making process.
“This residency is an amazing opportunity to take a risk and realise a project that has been gestating for many years,” he said.
“The publishing landscape for writers is evolving and consequently finding new ways of funding, making, and distributing books feels vitally important.”
Sarra Scougall, skills project manager, North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, said: “We are proud to fund New Writing North’s Creative Associates programme as part of our Create Talent programme, helping talented writers across the North East develop their creative practice, bring new ideas to life and contribute to our thriving creative sector.”