Take Two - Sunderland on film

Sunderland's Literature and Creative Writing Festival launch. Front from left, author's Holly Sterling, Sheila Quigley and Alan Parkinson.
Back from left, Kay Wood, Coun John Kelly, Iain Rowan, Tim Crocker and Craig Smith. — Sunderland's Literature and Creative Writing Festival launch. Front from left, author's Holly Sterling, Sheila Quigley and Alan Parkinson. Back from left, Kay Wood, Coun John Kelly, Iain Rowan, Tim Crocker and Craig Smith.

The festival, which runs from the end of September to the end of October, features dozens of talks, workshops, readings or hands-on events, and most are free.

Sunderland on Film Take 2, which runs for 90 minutes, premieres at the Quayside Exchange in High Street East on Friday, September 30, at 2.30pm and 6.30pm.

From left, author's Holly Sterling, Sheila Quigley and Alan Parkinson.

It follows the successful and sell-out festival screening of Sunderland on Film at the Minster last year. Take 2 also features archive footage of Wearside at play, at work in shipyards and factories, and the 1973 FA Cup triumph.

Tickets for Sunderland on Film Take 2 are £6 and available from the City Library in Fawcett Street, www.ticketsource.co.uk.

The Literature and Creative Writing Festival is an annual celebration of the written word and has something for everyone. It features many local artists and authors including Jayne Hughes, Fiona Veitch-Smith, Amanda Revell-Walton and Tony Wilson, plus many different activities.

Altogether, there are more than 100 festival events ranging from talks, lectures, family history taster sessions, music and singing for young children, reading and creative writing groups, to poetry sessions and craft workshops.

Councillor John Kelly, who oversees the City Council's Culture Portfolio, said: "As Sunderland looks to the future with a bid for City of Culture, we can take a look at our past with this second volume of film memories.

"Last year’s premiere was a very, very popular event and it sold-out quickly. We’ve got two screenings this year for Sunderland on Film Take 2 so we hope people can join us at the Exchange for this look at all our yesterdays."

A preview of Sunderland on Film Take 2 can be seen at www.sunderland.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=11566, and a DVD with highlights from the two films will be on sale at the launch.

Coun Kelly added: "The screenings are a great way to start this year’s festival and we’ve worked closely with many others for a very entertaining and diverse programme of events.

"We have festival workshops where everybody can get involved, we have events and talks where we can all learn more about subjects as diverse as Elvis, the Mackem dialect, Myths of the Titanic or Witchcraft and Wizardy on Wearside.

"There's a big programme, a full programme of more than 100 events and with it running for a month, plenty of time to catch up with what's on."

This is the first year that MAC Trust have worked in partnership with Sunderland Library services, the University of Sunderland and writer Iain Rowan to help deliver the creative writing element of this year’s festival.

Paul Callaghan of the MAC Trust, said: "We wanted to bring something unique to the literature festival, but also something that would complement it. Our programme includes everything from panel discussions on how to get your work published to conversations with top writers such as Ann Cleeves."

Dozens of venues are hosting events, including city libraries, Washington Old Hall, The Quayside Exchange, The Bridges Shopping Centre, National Glass Centre, The Ship, Isis and Elephant Tea Rooms.