The Cultural Development Team at the Customs House are responsible for organising a dynamic and inspiring range of cultural activities for all of our communities. The team deliver an extensive programme including; Creative Partnerships North & South Tyneside, Arts in Education across North and South Tyneside, Arts in the Community for South Tyneside and Find Your Talent North & South Tyneside, as well as curating innovative, contemporary visual arts exhibitions across four gallery spaces.
 

Click here to find out more about the Cultural Development Team.
 

The Customs House has successfully delivered Creative Partnerships in North and South Tyneside since 2004.

There are currently forty nine schools in Creative Partnerships North and South Tyneside, and  we are continuing to roll out this National Programme across both boroughs, bringing together creative practitioners, teachers and pupils in developing a create approach to learning and thinking.

For more information contact: Pauline Moger, Director of Arts by telephone on 0191 4278192 or email on pauline@customshouse.co.uk

Find Your Talent gives children and young people the chance to try out different cultural and creative activities. It's about helping them to discover new things, to express themselves, to develop a passion and to make the most of their talent. Whether it is music, art, film, theatre, dance, digital media, exploring libraries, museums or heritage, Find Your Talent is for every child and young person, whatever their age and whatever their ability.

Find Your Talent is being piloted in ten pathfinder areas across England and offers children and young people regular involvement with arts and culture both in and out of school. Find Your Talent is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Children, Schools and Families, Arts Council England and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. The Customs House is the only North East venue delivering this prestige project and innovative programme.

The Find your Talent Team will initially work in Jarrow and Seaton Burn in the first year of the pilot, before rolling out the initiative across the whole of North and South Tyneside in the next two years, and will be partnering cultural organisations with schools, young people and local communities to develop this truly exciting initiative.

For more information visit  find your talent
 

The Silver Customs Singers is a singing group based at The Customs House for anyone over the age of 50 who likes to sing. We sing a mix of world music, popular songs, Geordie songs, spirituals, anything from Cole Porter to Annie Lennox! We are also part of the Silver Programme at the Sage Gateshead and have recently undertaken our first public performance at their annual Silver Gala.

If you enjoy singing, meeting new people and are over fifty, why not come and join our singing group? We meet every Wednesday at the Customs House from 10.30am to 12noon, and it's only £2 per session.

For more information please contact Anita Wan on 0191 427 8187 or email anita@customshouse.co.uk.

Get involved!
 

Samba drumming is for everyone. It's fun, energising and addictive! We have classes for all ages and abilities. There is no need to book. Beginners are always welcome. Just come along on any Wednesday at 7.15pm to start your samba journey! Sessions are £3.50, £2.00 for concessions.

For more information visit www.custombeats.org.uk
 

Join Bad Taste Cru - UK/Ireland BBoy champions 2008 - and learn how to breakdance with the best group in the country.

Lessons run from 6.30pm until 8.30pm every Tuesday until 16 December.

Esen Kaya on behalf of the Gallery would like you to contribute to form a collection of interesting and quirky materials and haberdashery  for the central exhibition installation. If you have any interesting remnants lying around the house, shed or loft area and think you’ll never use them again, then please donate to the needy…and on this occasion, that’s Esen and the next gallery exhibition!
The following items would be particularly useful:

• Old picture frames (especially the kitsch ones!)
• Wool, thread / string, fabric cut-offs or old sheets (plain & patterned)
• Objects with interesting shapes and textures i.e. shells, plastic or other small toys, sponges, feathers, tape, plastic bags, corrugated card, wall paper, dollies, pegs (plastic or wooden)
• Gran’s ‘crochet you no longer want?
• 70s beaded curtain by any chance?
• Net curtains / voiles – white or any colour, the brighter the better in fact!
• Net packaging for Satsuma’s, oranges, lemons etc,….more variety of colours the better
• And anything else you think may be appropriate

If you think that you can help and would like to get involved, please contact Esen Kaya, Visual Development Officer, on 0191 427 8199 or by email: esen@customshouse.co.uk