Roker gets ready for a free day of music, art and community activities

From 11am to 4pm at Roker Park, visitors can immerse themselves in Tide and Terrain, an art exhibition curated by Amy South, featuring works inspired by nature's textures and tides. Throughout the day, live art performances will bring fresh perspectives to familiar landscapes. This includes Stephanie Smith and Victoria Armstrong's rhythmic Turn-Re-Turn, Phil Wardle's thought-provoking poetry, and Sarah Dobbs' evocative Body of Water on the beach.

Art lovers can also browse art stalls, join mindful workshops like Park Patterns: Nature Mandalas, craft with sea glass, and transform old photo frames through creative upcycling. Families can hop aboard the Little Locomotive Loop, try their hand at bowls, or sail miniature boats thanks to the Friends of Roker Park. Free portraits, storytelling sessions, live DJ sets, and creative challenges like the Rapid Draw Rally ensure there's something for everyone.

As the day continues, the festival extends to Roker Beach from 12noon to 9pm, offering tote bag printing, jellyfish mobile-making, sand art, and chalk walks. Visitors can explore augmented reality artworks, join beach cleans with Durham Wildlife Trust, and discover coastal wildlife with Coast Sunderland. The evening brings collaborative community sand art and a seaside sculpture. This can be enjoyed to the soundtrack of a laid-back DJ set from Déja Brew who will keep the summer atmosphere going.

Councillor Beth Jones, Sunderland City Council's Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism, said: "This collaborative event is a celebration of Sunderland's creativity, resilience and incredible sense of community. By bringing art, music and performance into the heart of Roker, we're not only showcasing our local talent—we're strengthening the social fabric of our city and making culture more accessible to everyone. From toddlers to grandparents, there's truly something for all to enjoy. I'd like to encourage all residents to get down and be part of this fantastic day."

Roberta Redecke, Marketing and Events Manager for Sunderland BID said: "Roker Park and Beach is the perfect setting to launch the first Sunderland Art Festival. It will bring creativity to the coast with a day full of colour, community, and imagination. From immersive art experiences to live music and mindful moments, this is about celebrating local talent and offering something genuinely unique for visitors of all ages at Sunderland's Seafront. We hope this will become a regular event in the calendar to support the fantastic businesses we have within the Seafront BID."

Whether you're an art enthusiast, a family looking for a fun day out, this promises a day of creativity, community, and coastal charm.

For full event details and opportunities to get involved, visit Back to the Bandstand - MySunderland.

Back to the Bandstand is a Sunderland City Council programme to invite local community groups to help bring Sunderland's parks and outdoor spaces to life. This is part of a citywide celebration of arts and culture.

Whether it's performances, creative workshops, wellbeing sessions, or sports activities, the Sunderland Festivals & Events Fund offers grants to support your ideas. This is a fantastic opportunity to engage the community and transform local spaces into vibrant hubs of creativity and connection.

To apply and find out more, visit https://www.mysunderland.co.uk/eventsfunding or get in touch at events@sunderland.gov.uk.