The National Gallery's Road Trip is coming to Sunderland

The Cultural Spring, which works to increase engagement in the arts and culture, is among 18 organisations hosting the tour, a year-long programme of learning activities and events celebrating creativity and the arts, delivered by a travelling art studio.

The National Gallery’s bicentennial initiative aims to hold 200 creative public engagements and work with people across the UK bringing art and ideas inspired by the National Gallery’s collection, to the heart of their communities.

The gallery’s Learning team has been working with The Cultural Spring to develop a two-week programme that meets the needs and interests of Sunderland and South Tyneside communities.

Emma Scarr, project co-ordinator at The Cultural Spring, said: “There’s been so much preparatory work with the National Gallery team and our wonderful venues, and it’s so exciting that the Art Road Trip will be with us very soon.

“We’re very grateful to our ten venues for stepping up and taking part in what will be a wonderful, memorable and exciting project. Some of our workshops are open to the general public while others will focus on people or groups that attend specific venues.

“This is a huge opportunity for our communities to engage with an internationally- respected arts institution.”

Anna Murray, National Partnerships programmer at The National Gallery, said: “We’re thrilled to bring the Art Road Trip to Sunderland and South Tyneside, and be working closely with The Cultural Spring.

“Collaborating has been an absolute joy, and it’s inspiring to see how our partnership will engage even more people with the collection.

“We are looking forward visiting so many brilliant venues and meeting people from the local community to get creative and have some fun together.”

Booking is essential for the workshops open to the public. The venues and focus of respective workshops are:

Wednesday, November 13, Grace House (closed session); Thursday, November 14, 10am-noon, Grindon Community Church, project The History of Pigments (from £3); Friday, November 15 Washington Millennium Centre (closed session); Saturday, November 16, Box Youth Project, Doxford (closed session); Sunday, November 17, 11am-noon and 3pm-4.30pm, Seventeen Nineteen, Nature Forms then 3pm-4.30pm, The Language of Flowers; Thursday, November 21, 5pm-6.30pm, East Boldon Junior School, The Language of Flowers.

Some sessions are from £3.