From artworks that celebrate the city’s pride and passion for SAFC to screw art and abstract gems, a new gallery showcases local creativity in all its forms.

It’s been a real team effort as a collective of talented local artists turned their hand to transforming the former Sweet Home Alabama shop in Fawcett Street into a new art gallery called Twenty- Four North East.

The gallery is one in a number of new additions to Fawcett Street | Sunderland Echo

placeholder image — The gallery is one in a number of new additions to Fawcett Street | Sunderland Echo

After months of planning and dedication, the collective opened the gallery last night with walls adorned in art spanning a host of styles and mediums.

The artists, 26 in total, despite the gallery name, have united with a shared goal of celebrating local talent and bringing a new fine art gallery to the city centre.

The artist collective with the Mayor and Mayoress of Sunderland at the gallery opening | Chris Poulton

For consumers, it’s a chance to purchase original fine art, from £90, and for the artists they don’t have to pay the high commissions on their work often charged by large galleries.

Artists featured include Dr Ron Lawson, who created the Molly sculpture on St Peter’s Riverside, Darren Timby who is well-known in the city for his striking screw art pieces, Chris Cummings whose paintings depict SAFC fan scenes and many more.

The gallery features the work of 26 artists | Sunderland Echo

Now open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10am to 4pm, visitors to the gallery will also be able to buy prints and cards, as well as enjoying workshops in the space moving forward.

Curator Julie Poulton said: “Some galleries can take up to 50% commission on sales, but the artists don’t have that here which keeps the cost down for the customer, too.

There's a broad range of styles on display | Sunderland Echo

“There is so much creativity in this city, but in the past artists have had to go elsewhere to have their work seen. Things have come on in leaps and bounds for the creative arts in Sunderland over the past 10 years, but we still need to work to keep that talent in the city.

“So much of the heritage of the city has inspired much of the works here, from music references to work that heavily references the local landscape.”

It was a busy launch night for the gallery | Chris Poulton

Ken Devine, one of the artists from the collective and co-founder of the gallery, said: “This gallery is for the community and our message is to use it or lose it.

“The creative arts in Sunderland is buzzing and it’s great to be a part of this family of creativity.”

Twenty-Four North East is one in a number of new additions to Fawcett Street.

Next door, the city’s first Korean restaurant, The Korean Spoon, has opened its doors.

Further down the street, opposite the Post Office, Asian superstore Sunbucks has opened, serving a wide range of products, including noodles for sit-in, steamed buns and bubble teas.

Other new additions include Pepe’s Piri Piri chicken shop, which has plans to move into the newly-refurbed unit on the corner of Fawcett Street and High Street West.

Meanwhile, further down Fawcett Street, work is ongoing to transform the former Haversham’s Café building into the Art Cafe, offering tea, coffee, sandwiches and cakes; space for local artists to sell their work, workshops and events - as well as housing pottery wheels and sewing machines.

The 24NE Art Collective who feature in the gallery

Ken Devine

Craig Scott Knight

Conrad Milne

Darren Timby

Ron Lawson

Richard Buckley

Michael Elliot

Alan Morley

Ben Backgroundcamel

Dale Hardy

Barrie Watson