Arts project The Cultural Spring gets A 1m to continue its work in Sunderland and South Tyneside

The initiative designed to improve access to arts activities has seen 20,000 people take part and will now move to new council wards An arts project targeted at areas of Sunderland and South Tyneside is to be extended for a further three years after being given a 1m seal of approval. The Cultural Spring, launched in 2014, was to have ended in December but Arts Council England has recognised its positive impact and granted the funding to enable it to carry on.