SUNDERLANDArt Festival
Opening Times
10 am to 3 pm
Entry Fee
No
Booking Required
No
Venue
City Centre
SUNNISIDE GARDENS | 10 AM TO 3 PM
Join us for the final Art Festival of 2025!
The Art Festival at Sunniside Gardens on September 27 is coming together with the much-loved Local Heroes Food Market to create something truly special that will feed all your senses.
From 10am to 3pm, this vibrant event will blend a stunning art exhibition, lively spoken word performances, and mouthwatering street food, offering a rich and unforgettable experience for everyone.
The Sunderland Art Festival showcases local artists and community-led projects that inspire and engage everyone, from families to art enthusiasts. It’s a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in Sunderland’s vibrant arts culture and see the city through the lens of its talented creators.
Expect lively performances, interactive experiences, stunning sculptures, and delicious food.
WHAT TO EXPECT!
Art Exhibition
Experience a vibrant outdoor art exhibition showcasing a diverse range of artworks that invite you to explore, reflect, and enjoy art in a welcoming, open-air setting.
Art Market
Discover beautiful artworks and handcrafted treasures while connecting with talented creators for one-of-a-kind art.
Houghton Brass Band
Experience the vibrant sounds of the Houghton Brass Band, delivering lively performances that celebrate community, tradition, and musical excellence.
King Ink Spoken Word
Dive into powerful storytelling and poetic artistry with King Ink Spoken Word. Inspiring voices and fostering creative self-expression through dynamic spoken performances.
Hannah Graham Sketch Off and Portraits
Join Hannah Graham for an exciting Sketch Off, where you’ll enjoy fast-paced, fun-filled quick drawing showdowns where you compete against each other with fabulous sketches.
Colour & Craft Studio
Unleash your creativity at the Colour & Craft Studio, a hands-on space for crafting, painting, and exploring art techniques in a fun, supportive environment.
Let Your Soul Grow
Connect with your inner self and nurture your creativity through guided activities to create soulful expressions.
Sculpture Park
Stroll through the Sculpture Park, an outdoor gallery of inspiring, contemporary sculptures designed to challenge and delight.
ARt Frames
Experience “The ARt Frames,” allowing participants to frame themselves as art pieces with augmented reality elements.
Chris Cross Magician
Be amazed by Chris Cross, the magician whose captivating tricks and illusions turn ordinary moments into extraordinary magical experiences.
Office of Oddities
Enter the whimsical world of the Office of Oddities with Atlas Theatre, a fascinating space filled with bizarre, intriguing, and mysterious objects that spark curiosity and wonder.
Sacred Sound Drummers
Feel the rhythm and join the Sacred Sounds team in a percussion tribute that celebrates community, spirituality, and the power of music to unite.
Join us for a memorable day filled with music, creativity, and community spirit.
Together, we will bring joy to every corner of this shared space and put Sunderland in the Frame.
This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
LATEST EVENTS
Too Much
Too Young26 September 2025
Get ready for an electrifying night of music as Too Much Too Young™ – The Music of 2Tone & Beyond takes you on a high-energy, two-hour journey through the legendary sound that shaped a generation.
This thrilling live experience explores the birth of ska in Jamaica and follows its explosive rise through the '70s and '80s British 2Tone revival. Celebrating the groundbreaking music and the iconic artists who made ska a global phenomenon, this show has been described as "a must-see for any ska fan", earning five-star reviews from critics and audiences alike.
Stages:
On The Square27 September 2025
A brand new music experience for Sunderland.
360° Stage. Full City Energy.
SUNNISIDE
FOOD MARKET27 September 2025
The month food and art come together for the final Sunderland Art Festival.
It means that on Saturday 27 September, when you visit the Local Heroes Food Market, visitors can enjoy a whole host of music, entertainment and creative opportunities, in addition to tucking into street food from some of the region’s top vendors.
Stages:
At the venues27 September 2025
DISTANT LISTENING
SUNDERLAND, IT’S GOING DOWN.
SATURDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER WE’RE BRINGING A STACKED NIGHT OF NEXT-LEVEL SOUNDS TO POP RECS AND GUESS WHAT? FREE ENTRY.
DOORS OPEN 7PM. NO TICKET. NO COST. JUST TURN UP.
POP RECS, 29 STOCKTON ROAD, SUNDERLAND
FREE VIBES. BIG ENERGY. BE THERE.
SECRET PUBLIC HOUSE PARTY
SAT 27TH SEPT | 11:30PM – 3AM
THREE ROOMS. THREE TOP SUNDERLAND HOUSE PROMOTERS. ONE PROPER UNDERGROUND PARTY - DARK ROOMS, LOUD MUSIC, PURE VIBES.
HAZE - PROCURO, STOOPS, JOE HOOD, JAKKSCAT, JAY MORLEY
WARD10 - KEIRON, RYAN CUMISKEY
KINETIC - KADHIM, E. MOVES, GOUX, NIALL CLEARY, SEIZMIC
SECRET LOCATION ANNOUNCED ON THE DAY!
MEXICO 70 LATES
Join us on Saturday 27th September at Mexico 70 for a night of weirdo disco, dub, forgotten 80s, and electronica with Lee Foster and Forriner. Free entry, 2 cocktails for £14. 9PM till late.
RAF Town
Show3 October 2025
Get ready, Sunderland! The RAF is landing in the heart of the city for an unmissable weekend of adventure, excitement, and hands-on activities for all ages. Whether you’re an aviation enthusiast, a thrill-seeker, or just looking for a fun family day out, we’ve got something for you!
Get ready for…
Makers &
Bakers Market4 October 2025
A fantastic variety of handpicked artisan local gift shopping stalls located in the Bridges Shopping Centre in Sunderland.
Stalls include handmade gifts, art, delicious homebakes, gourmet sweet treats, photography, keepsakes, pet accessories, pamper products and so much more!Entry is free.
Sheepfolds
Stables Market12 October 2025
Artisan food and drink market, in conjunction with Local Heroes, will be held on the second Sunday of each month going forward. Visitors can wander around the many stalls and purchase from a range of local independent traders offering the very best produce, from crafted gifts to specialist breads and cakes, organic vegetables, charcuterie and more!
UNITY IN THE
COMMUNITY18 October 2025
Sunderland is set to come alive with dance, food, music and creativity as Unity in the Community Weekender takes place in the city on Saturday 18th.
After the huge success of last year’s one-day Unity in the Community event in October 2024, organisers are bringing it back even bigger and better for 2025 – expanding into a full weekend of festivities.
The two-day celebration, organised by VCAS, Sunderland Minster and Sunderland Music City, will showcase the rich diversity of cultures and communities that call Sunderland home. It’ll be a packed programme of live music, dance performances, arts and crafts, and food for people of all ages to enjoy.-
UNITY IN THE
COMMUNITY19 October 2025
Sunderland is set to come alive with dance, food, music and creativity as Unity in the Community Weekender takes place in the city on Sunday 19th October.
After the huge success of last year’s one-day Unity in the Community event in October 2024, organisers are bringing it back even bigger and better for 2025 – expanding into a full weekend of festivities. 
SUNNISIDE
FOOD MARKET25 October 2025
Pop-up community market supports new and emerging food and drinks businesses across the North East.
From brewers, bakers, and cheesemongers to world-class street food vendors, our north east food and drink traders are delighted to bring themselves to your doorstep.