Sunderland artists' studio almost full as new team takes over

A Sunderland city centre building home to a host of artists is almost full to capacity as a new team takes over its running.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Broadside Creatives Comunity Interest Company (CIC) has added the building in Nile Street, Sunniside, to its buildings, with studios already run in Norfolk Street and John Street.

The additional 15 workspaces have passed on to Mark Burns Cassell, VIncent Todd and Jamie Allison run by Creative Cohesion, led by Anne and Roger Tye and their daughter Kat, who transformed the once Lada showroom into a creative space.

Read More
New acts announced for Sunderland's Lamplight festival headlined by Kaiser Chief...
The Nile Street studios, which have been taken on by Broadside Creatives CIC.The Nile Street studios, which have been taken on by Broadside Creatives CIC.
The Nile Street studios, which have been taken on by Broadside Creatives CIC.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Within days of announcing Broadside, almost all of its spaces have been taken by artists, with five contracts signed within 24-hours, with the building to help support ceramicists, musicians, potters, fabric artists and more to make, learn and teach.

The building has disabled access, with one glass artist planning to set up her own community interest company which can be used by people who need a space to channel their creativity, with social distancing guidelines in place for tenants.

The extra space means Broadside Creatives now runs 40 spaces for people to run their operations, with its work also helping people turn their hobbies, talents and passions into a career, with courses also run by the team.

The CIC plans to make some improvements to the building, with its mentoring service to continue, helping people apply for funding to support their work, with £90,000 accessed for Wearside projects within the last eight weeks.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mark said: “Anne, Roger and Kat have done a great job through Creative Cohesion for the last decade, bringing some fantastic things to Sunderland, including international residencies and collaborations with artists and we're looking to take that mantle on.

“We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the interest and delighted so many people have been in touch.

“We’re going to bring a lot of life into the building and we want to help make Sunderland a real hub in the city centre for artists.”

The organisation is the sister project of Norfolk Street Arts and MBC Arts Wellbeing.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

How to subscribe to the print edition

It’s easy to subscribe to your local newspaper. We have arranged a special 20 per cent off subscription offer for people to take advantage of.

Visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk, choose the newspaper title, the type of subscription and enter your details.

Related topics: