Alan Dotchin Blog

Google Digital Garage: Cramlington and Killingworth Constituency
2025-11-28 10:00 - 15:00 UTC
Overview

Improve your digital skills to help grow your business or career with free in-person training from Google UK.

Google is coming to Cramlington and Killingworth!
Join us in person for free workshops and mentoring sessions. Google Digital Garage trainers will be available to help you grow your business online and find new customers.
What to expect on the day
We’ll be running varied sessions all day, alongside interactive networking opportunities. You can also book private mentoring sessions with our Google digital trainers throughout the day to focus on personal goals for your business growth.
You will leave the event with a clear understanding of AI, new digital skills and how to implement these methods to help your business thrive.
Free lunch will be available.
Please arrive at 10am to check in before the day begins at 10.15am. Enjoy complimentary coffee and tea while you settle in.
If you have any questions, please get in touch at events@enterprisenation.com.
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Get on Set: Make a Music Video
2025-11-27 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-11-26 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-11-25 11:00 - 15:00
Overview

Take the first step to a screen production career. Learn all the skills you need to work behind the scenes on a music video, TV or film set.

Want to learn the skills you need to get on a music video, TV, or film set?
Our fully funded 6-week Music Video Production Course is perfect for you.
Whether you’re taking your first step into a creative career or looking to change direction and explore the screen industries, this course is for you.
You’ll learn the real-world production process — from concept to camera — and work alongside industry pros to create something joyful, cinematic, and completely unique.
RED, North Shields | 6 Weeks | Fully Funded for 19+ North East Residents
What You’ll Do:

Develop the concept and creative direction for the music video
Learn camera, lighting, and sound skills on set
Plan and manage a real production from start to finish
Work collaboratively with artists and the Gig Green team
Earn a Level 3 qualification AND an IMDb credit for your work

This course is perfect for anyone who wants to break into film, TV, or music video production while learning hands-on skills in a fun, inclusive, and creative environment.

More About the Course:

Fully funded (yep, 100% FREE) by New College Durham/Skills Bootcamps
6 weeks, in-person, creative & practical
Session timetable usually Tuesday – Thursday during the day, exact session times TBC
Based at Crew Gal HQ in North Shields

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Below are two of our most recent music videos, produced entirely by our Crew Gal Learners.

Sheffield
2025-11-23, 2025-11-22, 2025-11-21
Sheffield is a vibrant city located in South Yorkshire, England, known for its rich industrial heritage and stunning natural surroundings. Once famed as the heart of Britain’s steel industry, Sheffield has transformed into a modern, green city that balances its proud history with innovation and culture. The city is home to two major universities—the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University—which contribute to its lively student population and strong academic reputation. With the scenic Peak District National Park on its doorstep, Sheffield offers a unique blend of urban life and outdoor adventure, featuring numerous parks, woodlands, and rivers. Today, it thrives as a centre for creative industries, advanced manufacturing, and music, embodying both resilience and regeneration.

David Olusoga: A Gun Through Time
2025-11-20 19:30 - 21:30
Have you ever considered how a single weapon could change the course of history? What stories lie behind the guns that shaped empires, wars, and even criminal underworlds? How did these firearms influence not just battles, but entire societies?
Known for his acclaimed documentaries Black and British: A Forgotten History and A House Through Time, David Olusoga offers remarkable storytelling in this powerful, unexpected and enlightening social narrative.
Join David as he uncovers the story of three firearms that changed the world and the lives of our ancestors.
The Thompson Sub-Machine Gun was the wonder weapon that was supposed to end the slaughter of the First World War. But in the hands of the gangsters of Prohibition-era America it became the infamous ‘Tommy Gun’.
The Maxim gun enabled Europeans to conquer Africa in the 1890s, but 20 years later it became one of the biggest killers in European history when deployed on the Western Front. It is still being used to considerable effect on the battlefields of Ukraine.
The Lee Enfield rifle was woven into the lives of two generations of our ancestors. With 17 million of them produced it was the weapon the British Army took to war in 1914 and 1939.
See these legendary firearms up close on stage and delve into their mind-bending hidden social histories. You’ll also have the chance ask David your own questions about any historical topic.

Get on Set: Make a Music Video
2025-11-20 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-11-19 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-11-18 11:00 - 15:00
Overview

Take the first step to a screen production career. Learn all the skills you need to work behind the scenes on a music video, TV or film set.

Want to learn the skills you need to get on a music video, TV, or film set?
Our fully funded 6-week Music Video Production Course is perfect for you.
Whether you’re taking your first step into a creative career or looking to change direction and explore the screen industries, this course is for you.
You’ll learn the real-world production process — from concept to camera — and work alongside industry pros to create something joyful, cinematic, and completely unique.
RED, North Shields | 6 Weeks | Fully Funded for 19+ North East Residents
What You’ll Do:

Develop the concept and creative direction for the music video
Learn camera, lighting, and sound skills on set
Plan and manage a real production from start to finish
Work collaboratively with artists and the Gig Green team
Earn a Level 3 qualification AND an IMDb credit for your work

This course is perfect for anyone who wants to break into film, TV, or music video production while learning hands-on skills in a fun, inclusive, and creative environment.

More About the Course:

Fully funded (yep, 100% FREE) by New College Durham/Skills Bootcamps
6 weeks, in-person, creative & practical
Session timetable usually Tuesday – Thursday during the day, exact session times TBC
Based at Crew Gal HQ in North Shields

The Choral
2025-11-17 14:30 - 16:30
The Choral is a British historical drama film directed by Nicholas Hytner and written by Alan Bennett, two titans of British theatre and cinema. It is set in Yorkshire in 1916, during the First World War, and revolves around a local choral society in a fictional mill town called Ramsden. The movie explores how community, grief, music, and class intersect in times of national crisis.
The film’s world premiere was at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2025, and it is released theatrically in the UK on 7 November 2025. With a runtime of approximately 113 minutes.

Build a Business
2025-11-17 13:00 - 14:00
Overview

Take your first step to becoming your boss in this 1-day intensive business workshop!

Do you have an idea that you think could be a successful business? If so, we want to hear from you!
Join us for an engaging and informative workshop that explores self-employment and how to start your own business!
We will guide you through what you need to think about when starting a business. We will look at how to develop your idea and help you decide if self-employment is right for you.
We will cover the following:

Developing your idea
The Business Model Canvas
Marketing 101
Tax and finance
Registering your business
Next steps

The PNE Business Advisors will also be on hand to share their experiences and answer any questions you may have. They will also be available after the sessions to arrange 1-to-1 support if you would like to explore your idea further.
Places on this workshop are limited. Early sign-up is encouraged to avoid disappointment!
If you have any questions or queries, please contact the team at enquiries@pne.org
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/build-a-business-tickets-1585843513639

R&B Classics in Newcastle Cathedral
2025-11-14 19:00 - 22:00
Overview

Get ready to experience the golden era of R&B reimagined by a live orchestra..

R&B CLASSICS NEWCASTLE CATHEDRAL! Get ready to experience the golden era of R&B reimagined by a live orchestra, surrounded by soaring arches and the glowing lights of the majestic Newcastle Cathedral!
This is not your average gig—it’s an immersive, classical-meets-contemporary celebration of the best in 90s & 00s R&B. From slow jams to dancefloor anthems, expect to hear the soulful sounds of Alicia Keys, Usher, Brandy, Mary J. Blige, TLC, Ne-Yo, Destiny’s Child and more—performed by The Infinity Orchestra & Okiem, an ensemble of talented musicans and vocalists like you’ve never heard them before!
Come experience R&B like never before.. in one of the most magical settings in Newcastle! This event is only limited capacity and will sell out in advance.
Please note this is a standing event.
**Please be aware that the cathedral is a historic building and therefore has uneven floor surfaces, so appropriate footwear is advised at the event.**
https://www.facebook.com/reel/2030201164461217

Get on Set: Make a Music Video
2025-11-12 11:00 - 15:00
Overview

Take the first step to a screen production career. Learn all the skills you need to work behind the scenes on a music video, TV or film set.

Want to learn the skills you need to get on a music video, TV, or film set?
Our fully funded 6-week Music Video Production Course is perfect for you.
Whether you’re taking your first step into a creative career or looking to change direction and explore the screen industries, this course is for you.
You’ll learn the real-world production process — from concept to camera — and work alongside industry pros to create something joyful, cinematic, and completely unique.
RED, North Shields | 6 Weeks | Fully Funded for 19+ North East Residents
What You’ll Do:

Develop the concept and creative direction for the music video
Learn camera, lighting, and sound skills on set
Plan and manage a real production from start to finish
Work collaboratively with artists and the Gig Green team
Earn a Level 3 qualification AND an IMDb credit for your work

This course is perfect for anyone who wants to break into film, TV, or music video production while learning hands-on skills in a fun, inclusive, and creative environment.

More About the Course:

Fully funded (yep, 100% FREE) by New College Durham/Skills Bootcamps
6 weeks, in-person, creative & practical
Session timetable usually Tuesday – Thursday during the day, exact session times TBC
Based at Crew Gal HQ in North Shields

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Below are two of our most recent music videos, produced entirely by our Crew Gal Learners.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/get-on-set-make-a-music-video-tickets-1965435593769

Business Breakfast, Newcastle
2025-11-12 08:30 - 11:30
Overview

Bringing businesses together in the local community

Calling Newcastle based start ups and SMEs!
Join us for BIPC North East’s Business Breakfast on Wednesday 12th November, from 8:30am at Grazin Kitchen, Shields Road, Byker.
Start your day with a great breakfast and an even better opportunity to:

Tap into free business support and learn about the latest funding opportunities – Hear all about the highly sought-after Citylife Business Support Grant and explore how working with our Experts in Residence can help you take your business to the next level.

Connect with like-minded businesses – Share ideas, plans and inspirations with fellow entrepreneurs from your local community.

Meet our Retail Expert – Get 1:1 advice from Karen Williamson, who brings extensive retail experience. She’ll share practical tips on planning sales, attracting new customers and keeping loyal ones — just in time for the festive season.

Learn about upcoming local events and hear from Newcastle City Council’s EPiC (Empowering People in the Community) team on the latest initiatives making a difference in your area.

As the title suggests, breakfast will be provided by Grazin Kitchen.
We look forward to seeing you there!
This event is funded by the North East Combined Authority through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and supported through the Newcastle High Streets Project.

Palestine 36
2025-11-11 14:50 - 17:50
Palestine 36 is a major 2025 historical drama written and directed by Annemarie Jacir. The film recounts the 1936-39 Arab Revolt in the British Mandate of Palestine — a pivotal, yet often overlooked, chapter in Middle Eastern history.
Jacir, a Palestinian filmmaker of note, embeds her personal history and the broader Palestinian narrative into this epic production, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September 2025 to a standing ovation.
Palestine 36

Predator: Badlands
2025-11-09 18:00 - 20:11
Over three films, director Dan Trachtenberg has been reinventing the Predator franchise, pitting the alien hunter against Comanche warriors in Prey; battling Vikings, samurai, and WWII pilots in the animated Predator: Killer of Killers; and now flipping the script and making the predator our hero. In Predator: Badlands, an outcast predator (Demetrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) seeks redemption through a big game hunt on a hostile planet. Helping him is a Weyland-Yutani synth played by Elle Fanning, fueling rumors that we’ll be seeing another direct crossover between the Alien and Predator franchises before long. — James

Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 24
2025-11-09 15:00 - 17:00
Fiery. Cheeky. Leave with a smile.
Who’s on stage
We’ve got the home side playing tonight – Royal Northern Sinfonia and their Artistic Partner, the brilliant Maria Włoszczowska, plus star pianist Martin Helmchen.
What they’re playing
Music that’s old and new(ish). Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24 and Symphony No. 35 are at the heart of the concert. Mozart’s music is wrapped up in music by Sergei Prokofiev and Igor Stravinsky, with the Symphony No. 1 and Pulcinella Suite – both pieces inspired by earlier composers.

What you’ll hear

Sergei Prokofiev Symphony No. 1 ‘Classical’
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony No. 35 ‘Haffner’
Igor Stravinsky Pulcinella Suite

Who’s playing it

Maria Włoszczowska director
Martin Helmchen piano
Royal Northern Sinfonia

What’s happening in the music

There’s nothing like music by Mozart to ensure you leave the concert with a smile on your face. His Symphony No. 35 is classic Mozart – on one level you can be swept away by the melodies and drama, but dig a little deeper and there’s complex, deep emotion too. Piano Concerto No. 24 is a darker and more complex piece, at times muscular and powerful, but with the composer’s radiant charm and wit never far away.

Toolkit to Starting a Business
2025-11-07 09:30 - 12:30
Join us for a WELCOME to the Business Factory. This in-person session will provide you with a comprehensive toolkit to kickstart your business venture.
During the session, you’ll hear from the team who will share valuable insights and practical tips on how to navigate the challenges of starting a business. From developing a business plan to marketing strategies and financial management this event will give you to tools to start your own business.
If you have a business idea, this session is perfect for you. Network with like-minded individuals, exchange ideas, and gain inspiration to turn your dreams into reality.
Mark your calendars and join us for a session filled with knowledge, inspiration, and networking!

Join us for a WELCOME to the Business Factory. This in-person session will provide you with a comprehensive toolkit to kickstart your business venture.
During the session, you’ll hear from the team who will share valuable insights and practical tips on how to navigate the challenges of starting a business. From developing a business plan to marketing strategies and financial management this event will give you to tools to start your own business.
If you have a business idea, this session is perfect for you. Network with like-minded individuals, exchange ideas, and gain inspiration to turn your dreams into reality.
Mark your calendars and join us for a session filled with knowledge, inspiration, and networking!
https://businessfactorynt.co.uk/toolkit-to-starting-a-business/

THE RETURN OF TEDxDURHAM
2025-11-02 11:00 - 17:00
Sun, 2 November 2025

Gala Theatre Durham
After spending many years across the pond near the neo-gothic spires of Duke University and the tobacco farms of North Carolina, we’re extremely excited to be repatriating TEDxDurham back to North East England on Sunday, 2nd November 2025!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/VDxywkW6fXUh6CkJA
Home

Speakers

The Lowry – Salford Quays: Where Art, Theatre, and Architecture Meet the Spirit of the North
2025-11-01
Standing proudly on the waterfront of Salford Quays, just a short tram ride from Manchester city centre, The Lowry is one of the North West’s most inspiring cultural landmarks. Named after the celebrated local artist L.S. Lowry, it’s far more than just an art gallery — it’s a living, breathing arts complex that celebrates creativity in all its forms.
Blending striking architecture, world-class theatre, and the world’s largest public collection of Lowry’s work, The Lowry has become a symbol of Salford’s transformation from industrial docklands into a vibrant cultural destination. It’s a place where art meets community, and where the industrial past is celebrated through a modern, creative lens.
Read More

Imperial War Museum North – A Journey Through Conflict, Memory, and Reflection
2025-11-01
Perched on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal in Salford Quays, the Imperial War Museum North (IWM North) is one of Britain’s most thought-provoking and architecturally striking museums. It is not simply a collection of military artefacts; rather, it’s a place that invites visitors to reflect deeply on the impact of war — not just on nations and soldiers, but on ordinary people whose lives have been shaped, disrupted, and sometimes destroyed by conflict.

Manchester Art Gallery
2025-11-01
Manchester Art Gallery, located in the heart of Manchester city centre, is one of the most significant cultural institutions in the United Kingdom. Renowned for its rich and diverse collection, its striking neoclassical architecture, and its role as a hub for education and community engagement, the gallery embodies both the city’s industrial past and its forward-looking cultural ambitions. For more than a century and a half, it has been a place where art, history, and society meet, offering visitors an opportunity to explore works spanning over six centuries.
Read More

Manchester Cathedral
2025-11-01
Manchester Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys, and St George, is one of the city’s most enduring landmarks. Situated near the River Irwell in the heart of Manchester, the cathedral has stood for centuries as a spiritual, cultural, and architectural focal point. It is a building that reflects not only the history of Christianity in the region but also the growth and transformation of Manchester from a medieval parish town into one of the world’s great industrial and modern cities. With its striking Gothic architecture, rich heritage, and continuing role as a place of worship and community engagement, Manchester Cathedral remains a living symbol of resilience, faith, and continuity.
Read More

MediaCity Manchester – The Beating Heart of the UK’s Creative North
2025-11-01
Set on the glimmering waters of Salford Quays, just a short tram ride from Manchester city centre, MediaCity has rapidly become one of the UK’s most dynamic cultural and creative hubs. What was once a cluster of industrial docks and warehouses has been reborn as a futuristic media village — a place where innovation, broadcasting, technology, and art intersect.
From the BBC and ITV Studios to independent production companies, film crews, digital start-ups, and world-class universities, MediaCity is a place alive with creativity. Yet, beyond its studios and office towers, it’s also a vibrant public space — filled with restaurants, exhibitions, public art, and stunning waterside views that invite both inspiration and relaxation.
Read More

Halifax
2025-10-31
Halifax is a historic town in West Yorkshire, England, known for its rich industrial heritage and striking architecture. Once a major hub of the wool and textile industries during the Industrial Revolution, the town played a central role in shaping Britain’s manufacturing history. Today, Halifax is celebrated for landmarks such as the Piece Hall, an 18th-century cloth hall that has been transformed into a cultural and commercial center, and the grand Halifax Minster, which reflects its medieval past. The town combines a mix of old and new, with Victorian buildings standing alongside modern developments, and it remains a focal point for commerce, education, and tourism in the region. Its surrounding landscapes of rolling hills and valleys also make it a gateway to exploring the beauty of West Yorkshire.

Amadeus Live in concert
2025-10-30 19:30 - 22:30
Experience the multi-Academy Award-winning film Amadeus with Mozart’s music performed live by the Orchestra and Chorus of Opera North.
Winner of eight Academy Awards® including Best Picture, Milos Foreman’s sumptuous Amadeus is an aural and visual treat for all the senses, and a soaring celebrating of the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It tells the story of envious fellow composer Antonio Salieri, who has longed all his life for the divine musical gifts which the vulgar, impish young Mozart possesses. Salieri’s envy fuels his plot to destroy Mozart, while all the while unable to tear himself away from the genius of his music.
https://www.operanorth.co.uk/whats-on/amadeus-live-in-concert/

Leeds
2025-10-30 - 2025-11-02
Leeds is a vibrant and dynamic city located in West Yorkshire, in the north of England. Once a powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution, known especially for its textile and engineering industries, Leeds has transformed into a modern cultural and commercial hub. It boasts a rich architectural heritage, blending grand Victorian buildings with striking contemporary design. As the largest city in Yorkshire, Leeds is home to world-class universities, a thriving music and arts scene, and a diverse population. Its compact city centre offers a mix of historic arcades, bustling markets like Kirkgate Market, lively nightlife, and excellent shopping, making it one of the most exciting urban destinations in the UK.

The Art Gallery: A Sanctuary of Culture, Expression, and Human Creativity
2025-10-30
An art gallery is more than just a building filled with paintings, sculptures, and visual artefacts—it is a space where human imagination, emotion, history, and philosophy converge. Art galleries serve as custodians of cultural heritage, incubators of creativity, and sanctuaries for reflection and inspiration. Whether it’s a grand national gallery filled with centuries-old masterpieces or a small, contemporary local space showcasing emerging talent, the art gallery remains an essential institution within every society.
Read More
