From Hills Arts Centre and Breeze Creatives in The Athenaeum building to the recent announcement that The Norfolk Hotel is set to be transformed into studios, historic buildings across the city centre have been and continue to be repurposed to provide unique environments for creatives to thrive.
And let’s not forget the work underway to build Culture House, a multi-purpose venue that will stand at the heart of the Riverside Sunderland development combining a city library with space for arts and crafts, learning, exhibitions and more.
Sunderland is a city for creatives. And on that note, here’s 13 you might not know about.
5. Jessica Andrews
Jessica writes fiction, and her debut novel Saltwater was published by Sceptre in 2019 and won the Portico Prize in 2020. She recently published her second novel, Milk Teeth, and was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction Futures 2022. She also co-runs The Grapevine, a literary and arts magazine, co-presents a literary podcast called Tender Buttons and is a contributing editor at ELLE magazine as well as writing for the Guardian and the Independent among others. Photo: submitted
6. Romy Sammon – RomyPrints
Based at Hills Arts Centre, Romy Sammon is an illustrator and tattoo artist who creates everything from prints and clothing, to colouring books and wall hangings. Her bold and colourful illustrations are influenced by feminism and pop culture, while her tattoo designs evoke a sense of mystery and magic. Photo: submitted
7. Fiona Mullen
Freelance illustrator Fiona Mullen sells prints of her playful, pop culture inspired illustrations, which you can see on display – and buy - in Grinder Coffee Co in Hills Arts Centre. She also works on custom prints and commissions. Photo: submitted
8. Iain Rowan – Sunderland Creative Writing CIC
A Sunderland-based writer, Iain Rowan has sold more than 30 short stories and one, called ‘Birds of the Mountain’, was shortlisted for - and came second in - the 2019 Costa Short Story Award. Many have also been reprinted in anthologies and he has won a Northern Writers’ Award. In 2021, he set up Sunderland Creative Writing CIC, a non-profit community interest company, which is aimed at everyone - Cfrom those exploring creative writing for the first time, to those who are looking to move on to publication and performance. Photo: submitted