What's On | Sunderland Culture

Where Were You Last Summer?

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Exhibitions

Where Were You Last Summer?

26 Jul – 30 Aug 2025

Arts Centre Washington

Ro Robertson: The Ribs Begin To Rise

An abstract painting featuring violent different sized brush strokes and blue, green, cream, and grey paint with thinner black strokes.

Exhibitions

Ro Robertson: The Ribs Begin To Rise

Showing in Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art Main Gallery

26 Jul – 06 Dec 2025

Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art

Reflections through the Looking Glass - Melissa Duncan

Exhibitions

Reflections through the Looking Glass - Melissa Duncan

26 Jul – 30 Aug 2025

Arts Centre Washington

Three Artists: Zac Weinberg, Joanna Manousis, and Anthony Amoako-Attah

Three images split across a rectangle. Image one (left side) shows four glass tubes with african inspired patterns. At the top of each tube is a circular shape which is also patterned. The centre image show a green tinted glass object with a large light bulb fixed to the top, the right hand image shows rows of industrial glass and metal bulbs.

Exhibitions

Three Artists: Zac Weinberg, Joanna Manousis, and Anthony Amoako-Attah

Showing in the National Glass Centre Gallery, Balcony Gallery & Research Gallery.

26 Jul 2025 – 10 Jan 2026

National Glass Centre

Nature’s Tangled Web

A square split into 49 smaller coloured squares. Each has a white letter. the rows spell out birds names.

Exhibitions

Nature’s Tangled Web

Showing in Sunderland Creatives Gallery

26 Jul – 13 Sep 2025

National Glass Centre

Jill McKnight: Past and Future Pact

Intricate drawings of 1950s women working at machines making rope. The pencil drawings are coloured blue for the women and shades of brown for the machinery.

Exhibitions

Jill McKnight: Past and Future Pact

Showing in Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art Collection Space

26 Jul – 09 Dec 2025

Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art

Flameworked Beads

Six coloured beads with various patterns. Each bead has a hole to allow for a thread.

Adult Workshops and Activities

Flameworked Beads

26 Jul – 27 Sep 2025

16+

National Glass Centre

Green Exercise in the Community Garden

A community garden with a curved fence. The garden has a tree in the centre. There is a large green toy frog next to the tree. There is a square sign on the fencing with a colourful cartoon printed onto it.

Adult Workshops and Activities

Green Exercise in the Community Garden

30 Jul – 17 Dec 2025

Ages 50+

Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens

Two Day Flameworking Skills Course

A glass artist heats up a tube over a hot flame.

Adult Workshops and Activities

Two Day Flameworking Skills Course

01 Aug 2025

16+

National Glass Centre

Stained Glass for Beginners

A rectangle section of stained glass with blue and white glass, inside a dark grey lead frame.

Adult Workshops and Activities

Stained Glass for Beginners

02 Aug 2025

16+

National Glass Centre

One Day Introduction to Ceramics: Throwing Technique

A woman moulds clay inside a yellow plastic tray. She is wearing a vest and burgundy tights . There is a white star pattern on the tights.

Adult Workshops and Activities

One Day Introduction to Ceramics: Throwing Technique

02 Aug 2025

16+

National Glass Centre

Lunar Meditation Circles: Welcoming the Lionsgate Energies Shamanic Circle

A landscape rectangle shape filled with a solid navy blue and small white dots that signify the night sky. The main image is a Lionsgate Energies Shamanic Circle consisting of white circle with a white lion face

Adult Workshops and Activities

Lunar Meditation Circles: Welcoming the Lionsgate Energies Shamanic Circle

06 Aug 2025

Ages 16+

Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens

Washington Youth Theatre (Ages 8-12)

Children and Young People's Activities

Washington Youth Theatre (Ages 8-12)

Saturdays, 10am-12pm

8-12

Arts Centre Washington

Traintastic

Three small children stand in a class room holding up small paper crafted trains

Children and Young People's Activities

Traintastic

26 Jul – 30 Aug 2025

All ages

Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens

Terrific Train Trail

A large model of a green steam engine. The chimney is black.

Children and Young People's Activities

Terrific Train Trail

26 Jul – 05 Sep 2025

Ages 4+

Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens

Right Track

Children and Young People's Activities

Right Track

Saturdays, 10:30am-12:30pm

11-19

Arts Centre Washington

Washington Youth Theatre (Ages 13-18)

Children and Young People's Activities

Washington Youth Theatre (Ages 13-18)

Saturdays, 12:30pm-2:30pm

13-18

Arts Centre Washington

Saturday Art Club

Children and Young People's Activities

Saturday Art Club

Saturdays, 1pm-3pm

Arts Centre Washington

Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d

Theatre and Performance

Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d

Washington Theatre Group presents Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d

A new adaptation by Rachel Wagstaff

31 Jul – 02 Aug 2025

Arts Centre Washington

Mrs Armitage on Wheels

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Theatre and Performance

Mrs Armitage on Wheels

16 Aug 2025

Suitable for ages 3+

Arts Centre Washington

Counting Sheeps

Theatre and Performance

Counting Sheeps

11 Sep 2025

Suitable for 0 – 3 years

Arts Centre Washington

Rowan McCabe: Hard Knocks + Special Guest

Theatre and Performance

Rowan McCabe: Hard Knocks + Special Guest

18 Sep 2025

16+

Arts Centre Washington

Art

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Theatre and Performance

Part of Wednesday Matinees

24 Sep 2025

15+

Arts Centre Washington

American Movie

Films

American Movie

Part of Sunderland Film Club

25 Sep 2025

15+

Arts Centre Washington

Mr Drayton’s Rock Docs – Bob Dylan: Don't Look Back

Films

Mr Drayton’s Rock Docs – Bob Dylan: Don't Look Back

Part of Mr. Drayton’s Rock Docs

08 Oct 2025

15+

Arts Centre Washington

Swing Band Dance Party

Music

Swing Band Dance Party

26 Jul 2025

Arts Centre Washington

Apricity + Guests

Music

Apricity + Guests

05 Sep 2025

Arts Centre Washington

The Alan Fletcher Band

Music

The Alan Fletcher Band

20 Sep 2025

Arts Centre Washington

The Fire Doors

Music

The Fire Doors

26 Sep 2025

Arts Centre Washington

Swing Band Dance Night with The Bright Street Band

Music

Swing Band Dance Night with The Bright Street Band

11 Oct 2025

Arts Centre Washington

The Story of Skiffle

Music

The Story of Skiffle

16 Oct 2025

Arts Centre Washington

Teenage Market

A selection of colourful toys displayed on a flat surface with a white cloth. The toys include a hot pink frog.

Special Events

Teenage Market

16 Aug 2025

Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens

Hot Glass Studio Summer Sale

Beautiful glass ornaments and glasses. The ornaments are decorated with mottled patterns of blue, yellow, and white.

Special Events

Hot Glass Studio Summer Sale

National Glass Centre Shop

23 – 25 Aug 2025

National Glass Centre

Heritage Open Days: Vintage Bus Tour

A single decker bus parked on grass. The bus is green, yellow, and white with the words Sunderland Busways on the front and side. Special and A are being displayed on the front.

Special Events

Heritage Open Days: Vintage Bus Tour

13 Sep 2025

Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens

Autumn Craft and Makers Fair

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Special Events

Autumn Craft and Makers Fair

13 Sep 2025

Arts Centre Washington

Heritage Open Days: Volunteer History Tours

Several people, all over 50 years old on a tour of an art gallery. The tour guide is pointing at a large painting of a naval scene.

Special Events

Heritage Open Days: Volunteer History Tours

16 – 18 Sep 2025

Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens

Craft Fair - Winter 2025

A stall holder smiles at a visitor. The visitor is dressed in warm clothes, looking at various crafted objects at National Glass Centre's Craft Fair.

Special Events

Craft Fair - Winter 2025

22 Nov 2025

National Glass Centre

See & Do

Whats On Filters

Exhibitions

Where Were You Last Summer?

Ro Robertson: The Ribs Begin To Rise

Reflections through the Looking Glass - Melissa Duncan

Three Artists: Zac Weinberg, Joanna Manousis, and Anthony Amoako-Attah

Nature’s Tangled Web

Jill McKnight: Past and Future Pact

Adult workshops & Activities

Flameworked Beads

Green Exercise in the Community Garden

Two Day Flameworking Skills Course

Stained Glass for Beginners

One Day Introduction to Ceramics: Throwing Technique

Lunar Meditation Circles: Welcoming the Lionsgate Energies Shamanic Circle

Children & Young People’s Activities

Washington Youth Theatre (Ages 8-12)

Traintastic

Terrific Train Trail

Right Track

Washington Youth Theatre (Ages 13-18)

Saturday Art Club

Theatre & Performance

Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d

Mrs Armitage on Wheels

Counting Sheeps

Rowan McCabe: Hard Knocks + Special Guest

Art

Look After Your Knees

Film

Film and Fun: Animation Special

Heritage Reels: The Ballad of the Crocodile and the Underpass

Heritage Reels: The Land of Three Rivers

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

American Movie

Mr Drayton’s Rock Docs – Bob Dylan: Don't Look Back

Music

Swing Band Dance Party

Apricity + Guests

The Alan Fletcher Band

The Fire Doors

Swing Band Dance Night with The Bright Street Band

The Story of Skiffle

Special Events

Teenage Market

Hot Glass Studio Summer Sale

Heritage Open Days: Vintage Bus Tour

Autumn Craft and Makers Fair

Heritage Open Days: Volunteer History Tours

Craft Fair - Winter 2025