Summer of affordable family fun with Sunderland Culture

A JAM-PACKED programme of affordable fun will keep families busy over the summer holidays at three cultural venues on Wearside.

Sunderland Culture, who programme venues across the city, have put together a busy schedule of workshops, plays and other arts activity at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, National Glass Centre and Arts Centre Washington to coincide with the school summer holidays.

Rebecca Ball, Chief Executive of Sunderland Culture, said: “We’re proud of our brilliant family activity programme which includes a wide variety of activities to keep everyone entertained over the summer holidays!

“We’ve tried to offer a range of affordable and free events and also to ensure the programme is suitable for all ages – so there’s something for both young children and teenagers too.”

Children and their families can get creative at National Glass Centre with a variety of glass workshops to enjoy – from sandcastle ceramics, glass animal painting and rainbow rockets glass fusing to a free family photography day.

Entry to the National Glass Centre is free and there’s plenty to enjoy on your visit, including glass blowing demonstrations, a busy shop and the venue’s popular café. Learn about the history of glass production in Sunderland at the permanent Stories of Glass exhibition and visit the acclaimed Glass Exchange exhibition that includes work from some of the UK’s leading contemporary artists.

If it’s theatre for the family you’re after, look no further than Arts Centre Washington. Children will love The Tortoise and the Hare – A Suitcase Story, an interactive story for the under 6s, which features live music and puppetry (Tuesday, August 16 at 1pm and 3pm).

Young people from Washington are invited to take part in Creative You, a programme of free arts workshops for those aged 11-19. Aimed at supporting young people’s emotional and mental wellbeing and self-esteem, the programme starts with a pottery workshop next Tuesday (July 26) and will be followed by sessions on film-making, dance, song writing, clowning, glass painting, how to make your own tie dye, radio drama, lino printing and rap music.

Meanwhile at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, families have a wide range of fun activities to choose from – from the pop-tastic Big Science Bubble Fest to meeting the creatures from Discovery Zoo.

There are also a huge variety of free activities on offer including an archaeological dig and weekly drop-in sessions such as Arty Wednesdays and Pyrex Family Fridays featuring themed drawing, textiles, clay-sculptures, and 3D model-making workshops.

Rebecca added:

“We’re really looking forward to welcoming everyone to the venues this summer to enjoy all of the exciting activities we have in store!

“As well as the action-packed programme of events, the venues themselves are fantastic places for a family trip – with free entry, places to eat, and additional things to see and do.

“So, if you’ve worked up an appetite being creative or learning a new skill then you can enjoy a spot of lunch then browse an exhibition or even have a walk along the river! Plus, they’re all easily accessible by car or public transport.”

For more information on all activities and the full programme of events on offer, plus the new season of events at The Fire Station, go to www.sunderlandculture.org.uk

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