Faithful Johannes' new album is a quirky delight. I caught up with Tim to find out more about Durham's hidden past and the perils of being a sincerity rapper. Check out the full story here and get along to the White Room on Thursday to hear it live @fjwords.bsky.social #music #durham #album #live

Faithful Johannes, Durham Come Save Me

Woodworm, witches and a hapless tightrope walker star in a lo-fi dive into Durham's hidden history

talkingnortheast.substack.com

Beating the Monday blues with another round of local cultural highlights. This week, there's a bit of a summer holiday theme to help keep the kids enlightened and entertained. #familyfun #livemusic #gaming #photography #newcastle #sunderland #gateshead #stockton

Seven days: Aug. 3-9

Family fun to the fore in the summer hols

talkingnortheast.substack.com

Greatly enjoyed Underdogs, the debut novel by @louisepowell.bsky.social. You would, too. Check out this review then go buy a copy!

Louise Powell, Underdogs

Greyhound racing, once a staple entertainment in the Northeast, celebrates 100 years in 2026.

talkingnortheast.substack.com

Here we go. Day 1.

And there's a regular Seven Days to enjoy too. Includes @durhamfreefringe.bsky.social, SIRF, vintage punk rock, Durham doom metal and more. #livemusic #festivals #fringe #durham #stockton #newcastlegateshead #sunderland

Seven Days: July 27-Aug. 2

This week's cultural highlights

open.substack.com

It's Durham Fringe Festival this week, so a great time for culture vultures to descend on the city as it turns into a mini-Edinburgh (without the associated hassles). In a Seven Days special, Talking Northeast picks out some shows to go for. #durham #fringe #music #drama #poetry #show

Seven Days Special: Durham Fringe Festival

Highlights from one of the Northeast's biggest arts festivals

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It's the last week of the National Glass Centre in Sunderland. Friday saw the opening of the final show, highlighting current MA students' work. Some great things to see, but a sense of sadness at the fate of the building. talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/conclusion...

Conclusion, National Glass Centre

The bittersweet end of an era in Sunderland

talkingnortheast.substack.com

I like the sound of this. Suspect @mariegardiner.bsky.social might too. Not wholly surprised that libraries are again at the forefront of good things.

TechCrunch@techcrunch.com · 2w ago

At libraries around the country, "Avoiding AI" workshops have elicited unprecedented demand.

Durham's @samslatcher.bsky.social takes us on musical journeys through the region's past and present. We caught up for a quick pint ahead of his Durham Fringe shows. Read more here: talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/sam-slatch... #livemusic #singersongwriter #music #pilgrimage #journey #fringe

Sam Slatcher, Durham Fringe Festival

Pilgrims, passengers and musical journeys through the Northeast past and present.

talkingnortheast.substack.com

The BBC Proms come north and star in this week's Seven Days. There's plenty to hear at @theglasshouseicm.bsky.social, Middlesbrough Town Hall and The Fire Station. Plus more top live stand-up in Barney art in Washington and chamber music in Corbridge. talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/seven-days...

Seven Days: July 20-26

Orchestral mash-ups and haunting choirs as the Proms come up North

talkingnortheast.substack.com

As well as football, we still do culture. This time, a look at life in Stockton - urban regeneration and cultural revival, plus people whizzing down a slide in the new Waterfront park! talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/stockton-t...

Stockton, Town of Culture

Derided in parliament, this corner of Teesside is make bold decisions

talkingnortheast.substack.com

A quick nudge in the direction of another of my projects - with the start of a new football season (what do you mean, the old one isn't done yet?), I'm planning on revisiting non-league footie around the Northeast. It kicked off in Guisborough yesterday: groundhoppers.substack.com/p/guisboroug...

Guisborough Town 4 North Shields 1

Starting a new football season beneath the Cleveland Hills

groundhoppers.substack.com

Brass, glass, a historical epic and a bit of non-league footie. Another fun week ahead, then: talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/seven-days...

Seven Days: July 13-19

Classy brass, teen punk talent and a local footie curtain-raiser

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Monday morning, and amid the World Cup blear (we're at 'Ooh, maybe it _is_ coming home', the cruellest step on the England football cycle), Seven Days offers some non-footie highlights from across the region. Check it out at talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/seven-days... #livemusic #theatre #comedy

Seven days: July 6-13

A week of cultural highlights across the Northeast of England

talkingnortheast.substack.com

This was an excellent evening out - and there's plenty more to come as the film goes on tour in the next few weeks. Dates here: linktr.ee/redhillsdurham

Lonely Tower Film & Media@lonelytower.bsky.social · last mo.

Overwhelmed by tonight at Redhills Durham. The premiere of 'Defiant - County Durham, The Miners' Strike and its Legacy' was an incredible success. To Vonni, Alix and the Redhills team, and to everyone who came out in support. THANK YOU! It really means so much, M&M X

A new documentary film explores the legacy of the miners' strike in County Durham. It's a tale of resilience in the face of neglect, as this week's interview shows: talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/defiant-re... #mining #film #indie #community #regeneration #defiant #countydurham #strike

Slightly later than scheduled this week, but Seven Days is in Festive Mood with big, free events by the Tyne, Wear and Tees. Plus an upcoming premiere of the latest film from @lonelytower.bsky.social - watch out for a bigger feature on that later this week #music #festival #indie #film #culture

Seven Days: June 29-July 5

Festivals to the fore in this week’s cultural highlights

talkingnortheast.substack.com

Norman Cornish is one of my favourite artists, so I was delighted to get an early look at the latest exhibition of his work at @thebowesmuseum.bsky.social. Delving into his sketchbooks, the show brings his work to life. Read more: talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/norman-cor... #art #exhbition

Norman Cornish at the Bowes Museum

A deep dive into a fascinating archive of sketchbooks celebrates a special coalfield artist

talkingnortheast.substack.com

Another Monday, another handful of reasons to be cheerful. From folk horror to pitmen poets, there's plenty happening across the Northeast this week. Read more at talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/seven-days...

Had a lovely chat with French singer Flossie Malavialle as she returns to the region for a couple of gigs next week. Fascinating to hear how our scene looks from the outside, and a reminder of why it's worth preserving. More at talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/flossie-ma...

Flossie Malavialle

From the South of France to the Northeast of England

talkingnortheast.substack.com

Another week of cultural highlights across the Northeast of England. Live music, arts and crafts, theatre, literature - there's lots going on between Tyne and Tees in the next Seven Days. talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/seven-days...

What happens when you let two Mackems rattle on about music, poetry and the distinctive, multi-layered cultural history of Northeast England? Ben Lunn talks about the premiere of his upcoming work, inspired by the verse of William Martin. talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/ben-lunn-a...

Beat the Monday blues with a rundown of the best of what's on around the region this week. Follow to get this newsletter every Monday. More at talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/seven-days...

Frankie Archer's excellent album The Dance of Death is released today. That's as a good a reason as any to revisit our chat from earlier this year: talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/frankie-ar...

Frankie Archer, the Dance of Death

Electro-trad folk that blends banging beats and potent politics

talkingnortheast.substack.com

Looking ahead to the music on offer at this weekend's Redcar Kite Festival. Here are a couple of my favourite acts on the bill: talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/playlist-h...

Playlist: high as Kites

A trio of rising stars from the bill at this weekend’s Redcar Kite Festival

talkingnortheast.substack.com

Talking Northeast goes international! Thanks to Keidi Sejdiu for translating our recent interview into Albanian, and thanks to Dash Art for publishing it. Check out the finished product here: www.dashart.al/2026/06/03/k...

“Keidi Sejdiu, Quiet Faces”

dashart.al

A follow-up to the 24NE feature recently - this time we're talking to Keidi Sejdiu about moving to and creating in the Northeast. Read, like, share: talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/keidi-sejd...

A great new gallery in Sunderland, opened six months ago. I went along to take a look and find out more: talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/24ne-art-g...

As well as the Ron Davidson exhibition, there's a potential Teesdale double header this weekend. Mickleton Live's latest show is tonight at the village hall, a special spot to enjoy quality live music. talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/mickleton-...

Mickleton Live

Bringing rock‘n’roll to rural Teesdale - and creating opportunities in the community

talkingnortheast.substack.com

Art, beer and football. As trinities go, that feels pretty holy to me. And Sunderland-born artist Ron Davidson might have agreed. An exhibition of his work is on show in Teesdale this weekend - but for two days only: talkingnortheast.substack.com/p/ron-davids...

Ron Davidson exhibition, Romaldkirk

For two days only, a celebration of a lifetime of creativity

talkingnortheast.substack.com