‘The Ballad of the Crocodile and the Underpass' - Stories of Washington New Town’, is a podcast ballad partnership between Washington Heritage Partnership, We Make Culture, University of Sunderland, Baseline Shift and Arts Centre Washington. Since April 2024 this partnership, podcaster and musician Grace Stubbings and the Washington community podcasting group have been working with people and organisations in Washington to collect and share experiences of life in a new town.

Musicians Paige Temperley and David Brewis (Field Music) have been working with community members and young people at Arts Centre Washington to turn stories of Washington into songs.

The songs, interviews, sounds and archive recordings have been woven together to create unique ballad podcasts. The group have been influenced by the radio ballad work of Charles Parker, Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger who made radio ballads about working class stories in the 1950s and '60s for the BBC.

You can listen to Episode 1 immediately after this trailer.

Subscribe now to hear episodes 2-5, which will be released in November 2024.

Through a series of collaborative music making workshops, they helped foster new connections with the coastline through rhythm and percussion, storytelling, and music making with traditional instruments and objects found on the beach.

In this episode, we hear from musicians Hannabiell Sanders and Yilis del Carmen Suriel, and participant and member of Mental Health Swims Seaham, Suzanne Green.

Find out more about the project here.

Producer: Lottie Steele

The project emphasises connecting people to the area and encourages reflection on the coastal environment. Through participatory research and acoustic mapping, the goal is to foster a stronger sense of stewardship and appreciation for the marine heritage and seascape among coastal communities.

In this episode, we hear from Professor Caroline Mitchell, Artist; Shelly Knotts & participants; Ian Bower and Elsie Ronald.

Find out more about the project here.

Producer: Lottie Steele

The online artwork created by Rob Smith invites people to add to a database of sounds and examines how ‘listening’ to the contemporary coastal environment can enable the site of the sound mirror to emerge from the intersection of technologies and shared histories.

By questioning what the sound mirror’s continuing role in the contemporary landscape is, Soundmirror creates a space that can enable connections with the site of the mirror to expand beyond simply being an historic location.

In this episode, we hear from lead artist; Rob Smith, Hannah Fishburn from OASES, Robin Daniels from Tees Archeology & Diane Stephens, manager of the Heugh Battery Museum.

Find out more about the project here.

Producer: Lottie Steele

In this episode, we hear from the lead artists; Jo Howell, Dawn Felicia Knox, Tracy Thomas and Seascapes co-curator; Amanda Ritson.

Find out more about the project here.

Producer: Lottie Steele

Lead artist for this project, Lizzie Lovejoy, engaged with over 450 participants through conversations, workshops and performances. They learned and shared stories of our local community from Tyne to Tees, considering our relationship to the water, our heritage and the intersectionality of Queer culture.

In this episode, we hear from the lead artist and illustrator; Lizzie Lovejoy, Curious Arts director; Phil Douglas and participants; Beth Smith and Audrey Cook.

Find out more about the project here.

Producer: Lottie Steele

From September 2022 - January 2023, international communities in Sunderland worked with ceramicist Mary Watson and researcher Suzanne Hocknall to explore the positive influence that diverse cultures have on our local food traditions within the coastal city of Sunderland. The Coastal Communities community group is made up of members from ICOS (International Community Organisation of Sunderland), FODI (a drop-in service for refugees and asylum seekers), City of Sanctuary, Back on the Map (a community space in Hendon) and Sangini (a wellbeing support group for Bangladeshi women).

In this episode, we hear from curator; Suzy O'Hara, artist; Mary Watson, food researcher; Suzanne Hocknell and operations assistant FODI; Fanny Nagambie.

Find out more about the project here.

Producer: Lottie Steele

The dance project drew inspiration from what can be seen, heard and felt at the coast, from the movement of waves to the flora and fauna that call it home. Participants were supported to explore their own relationship with their coastal environment and how this connection can be expressed creatively through dance.

In this episode, we hear from lead artist; Constance Humphries, Bluscapes Officer; Sarah Campbell, general manager for the National Trust; Eric Wilton & dancer; Tracey West.

Find out more about the project here.

Producer: Lottie Steele

Over a 6 month period, varying individuals were interviewed to create a documentary that highlights the influence of the coast upon the people who live, and are influenced, by it.

In this episode, Geologist David Roberts talks about how the Blast Beach project came about and how the artist and ex-mining communities were crucial to the project. Dr. Adelle Hulsmeier and Jac and Jean (representatives from the East Durham Artist Network) share their experiences of the creative vision and artistic delivery.

Find out more about the project here.

Producer: Lottie Steele

The project centred around three methods to foreground listening:

• Attunement: field-recording activities that zone in on the non-human sounds of the coastal seascape through listening and recording.
• Resonance: deep listening activities and voice/instrumental activities that use imaginative and creative strategies to develop an empathic and reflective relationship with the coastal seascape.
• Resilience: sound collage activities leading to a publication and composition that engenders ongoing stewardship of the coastal seascape.

In this episode, we hear from curator; Suzy O'Hara, artist; Louise McKenzie, particpant; Dahrmendra Mehta & sound recordist and composer; David de la Haye.

Find out more about the project here.

Producer: Lottie Steele