Bringing the Sunniside of History to Life

Historical characters from Sunderland have been brought to life and have taken to the streets of a rejuvenated area of the city centre.

Students from Sunderland University have been working with art group Lis Molzahn, Paul Brooks and Sally Schoon of Art-wave and Manchester artist Gemma Parker on a project that celebrates the past and present of the Sunniside regeneration area.

They have been researching several characters who used to live in the area in the 1800s, including a 28-year-old dress maker, a widowed school mistress and a French shipbroker.

Supported by Sunniside Partnership, the project follows on from Art-wave’s successful On Screen In Street cinema projections, which used shop windows and buildings in Sunniside to showcase work by graduates, local art groups and professional fine artists and designers.

Their latest collaboration merges fine art, photography, new video media, design and performance. Photographs and video footage of students and artists in full character will form part of an exhibition at Sunniside’s soon to open £6m arts and business centre, thePlace, later this summer. The exhibition will also include work by Gemma Parker, whose art focuses on the theme of burlesque.

Gemma said: “Burlesque is currently undergoing a huge renaissance across the country. People have certain perceptions of burlesque and this project is about challenging those and concentrating on the way in which it can bring characters to life.

Paul Brooks, of Art-wave, said: “We have been working a lot in the Sunniside area and have been excited by how it’s changing. The characters we have chosen were real people who used to live here and it is interesting to bring them back into the modern day, still surrounded by the wonderful old architecture but with so many new spaces that have recently appeared.”

“This project is about merging art with entertainment, taking it out onto the street and capturing people’s imagination.”

thePlace is the latest addition to the area’s regeneration programme. It will house new performance space, art gallery/exhibition spaces, a café, meeting rooms and a range of offices. It will play host to a series of innovative exhibitions and events as well as accommodating new businesses.

Spearheading the Sunniside regeneration is Sunniside Partnership, supported by Sunderland Council, Sunderland arc, English Partnerships and One NorthEast, together with additional funding from TyneWear Partnership and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).