The Cultural Spring launches series of new workshops in Sunderland and South Tyneside

Plenty of popular favourites return for the summer programme, including calligraphy, fun with fabrics, creative writing, ceramics, photography, glass fusing and upcycling furniture.

The Cultural Spring is a three-year Arts Council-funded project aiming to encourage and increase participation in the arts in ten wards on South Tyneside and Wearside and its new programme of workshops and activities will be delivered across a range of community venues.

All of the workshop sessions have a small voluntary charge to cover the cost of materials.

New for this latest programme are two storytime sessions for three to seven year olds, delivered by Curious Arts on Wednesday, July 3 at The Customs House, South Shields (10am) and then the FANS Museum in Sunderland (2pm). Both sessions will be followed by craft activities and parents taking children can pay whatever they decide.

Also new for the summer programme are Clean and Green Workshops, which are being supported by Sunderland City Council. The sessions, which include family eco-crafts, bunting and banner making, and creative gardening and recycling, are open to all, but priority will be given to people living in The Cultural Spring’s Sunderland wards – Pennywell and South Hylton, Sandhill and Pallion. The sessions run throughout May, June and July.

If you love singing, there are two sessions that may interest you – Social Singing, run by Jennie Brewis (The Cornshed Sisters) and Find Your Voice, a new addition to the programme to help people gain the confidence to join a choir.

Michael Barrass, Joint Project Director for The Cultural Spring, said: “Our Social Singing sessions will be on Tuesday mornings at Back on the Map in Sunderland and will give people a chance to sing a wide range of pop, gospel and folk songs. The Find Your Voice sessions will be hosted at Perth Green Community Association in Jarrow, on Monday afternoons and less confident singers will get the chance to learn about the foundations of group and harmony singing in a relaxed environment.

“These two new sessions are just part of what is a varied and exciting new programme which give people the perfect opportunity to try something new or to develop skills learned at previous Cultural Spring workshops.”

The Cultural Spring’s programme also includes two ‘Go and See’ opportunities. These give people living in Cultural Spring wards the chance to experience arts and cultural events across the wider north east region. The summer programme includes two such opportunities with visits to the Mining Art Gallery and Auckland Tower in Bishop Auckland, and Dippy on Tour at the Hancock Musuem.

•To book your place on any of the activities or the Go and See opportunities, email [email protected] or call 0191 427 8197. Places on many of the activities are limited, so it is advised to book early to guarantee a place. All ages are welcome, but under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult. For more information visit http://theculturalspring.org.uk/