Summer events hit the right note to drive culture campaign
What a fantastic month it has been for the City of Sunderland. Since my last column, we have welcomed Beyonce to the Stadium of Light, seen contrasting - but equally excellent – events in the form of Summer Streets and Sunniside Live, staged a unique multimedia event at the Empire and rounded the whole thing off with the spectacular success of this weekend’s Sunderland International Airshow.
Each of these events is something of which we should, as a city, be hugely proud.
It was a real coup to land the opening date of the European leg of Beyonce’s Formation world tour – and it was worth the effort.
Kicking off the tour in Sunderland meant the eyes of the country’s press were on Wearside and Queen Bey didn’t disappoint.
Of course, the Stadium concerts mean a lot of money coming into the city and I hope everyone was able to maximise the economic benefits of the occasion.
The potential benefits of music and cultural events were amply demonstrated by the success of Sunniside Live and Summer Streets.
Sunniside Live attracted a near capacity 4,000 crowd to the beautiful Sunniside Gardens and will have showcased the magnificent regeneration of the area to many who have never previously ventured to that part of the city centre.
As well as names such as The Brand New Heavies and Smoove and Turrell, Sunniside also provided a great showcase for some of Sunderland’s best up and coming bands, thanks to the involvement of Frankie and the Heartstrings frontman Frankie Francis.
Frankie’s bandmate Ross Millard, meanwhile, was responsible for pulling together the line-up for Summer Streets, which attracted thousands of people to Southwick’s Thompson Park.
Community groups rubbed shoulders with established names from the city’s music scene such as Field Music and The Cornshed Sisters in an event which highlights the potential of Sunderland’s City of Culture bid to galvanise the city.
Mention of Field Music and the Cornsheds brings me, of course, to Asunder, at which both groups performed.
The multi-media event at the Empire was a memorable and touching tribute to the city and those it lost in the First World War, while celebrating the lives of the people it touched.
It was something genuinely unique and shows just what the city is capable of when we set our mind to it.
As ever, the airshow was – forgive the pun – a soaring success.
Hundreds of thousands packed onto the seafront to enjoy the show and it was the perfect chance to show off not only our spectacular coastline but the excellent work that has been carried out to transform the seafront in recent years.
All these events, in different ways highlight the potential of culture not only to drive economic regeneration but to create a real spirit of community.
And well done to everyone associated with the #wearhere Titter campaign on Friday - a great example of what we can achieve with collaboration and which will have boosted the profile of the city.
The next meeting of the chamber’s Sunderland committee will be at the Stadium of Light at 4pm on October 18.