Seventeen Nineteen is a beautiful venue situated in Holy Trinity Church in Sunderland. It serves as a community space where local events take place and encourages involvement in the arts.
The church, built in 1719, received a grant in 2019 to preserve and restore it. The landmark venue hosted the first of many important things in Sunderland’s history, including the town’s first library.
As the first parish church in Sunderland, the Grade 1 listed building serves as a landmark of important historic significance. Now, the recognisable venue has had a modern rebirth.
John Knox, events administrator for Seventeen Nineteen, states that the reimagining of the site aims to connect people with “stories of its proud heritage and reactivate the spirit of the old East End.”
By maximising the building’s use, it offers the opportunity for practitioners to display their work, trade their goods, and deliver workshops and performances. It acts as: “A beautiful space where ideas flourish, stories inspire and history unravels.”
The official reopening of the venue was made by the mayor of Sunderland in April 2022, during the spring market fayre, and events have been non-stop ever since. Live music is one of the cornerstones, with Candlelight Concerts being a popular highlight.
More than just music can be enjoyed at the old church though, for their catalogue of events is wide and encompassing: you can learn about local heritage, catch screenings of northern films, attend craft workshops, listen to seminars about local history, and go on guided walking tours and hear stories. Then there is The Old Black Cat Jazz Club – a monthly meetup to listen to swing; the Trinity Folk Club where folk music can be enjoyed; and a whole host of other unique musical events. Upcoming acts include Bob Harris, Judie Tzuke, Eleanor McEvoy and Peggy Seeger.
Seventeen Nineteen want to take the lead in providing community volunteering opportunities, high-quality events and business partnership initiatives. By helping to build a resilient community, its legacy will outlive those who currently benefit from it.
By bringing Sunderland’s old stories to life and creating new ones in turn, Seventeen Nineteen serves its local community by letting the events of the past inspire the activities of tomorrow. It invites those of all ages, from all backgrounds, to immerse themselves in an accessible, safe, community environment.
For further information, head to visitchurches.org.uk/1719.
