To celebrate the launch of the paperback of their latest novel The Silver Book join us for an evening of conversation with award winning writer, Olivia Laing. It is September 1974. Two men meet by chance in Venice. One is a young English artist, in panicked flight from London. The other is Danilo Donati, the magician of Italian cinema, the designer responsible for realising the spectacular visions of Fellini and Pasolini. Donati is in Venice to produce sketches for Fellinis Casanova. A young and beautiful apprentice is just what he needs.He sweeps Nicholas to Rome, into the looking-glass world of Cinecitt, the studio where Casanovas Venice will be ingeniously assembled. Then in the spring, the lovers move together to the set of Sal, Pasolinis horrifying fable of fascism.But Nicholas has a secret and in this world of constant illusion, his real nature passes unseen. Amidst the rising tensions of Italys Years of Lead, he acts as an accelerant, setting in motion a tragedy he didnt intend. Heartbreaking. I did not want this story to end Nigel Slater Olivia Laing is a British writer, novelist and cultural critic. They are the author of five brilliant works of non-fictionTo the River, The Trip to Echo Spring, The Lonely City, Everybody, and The Garden Against Timeas well as an essay collection, Funny Weather, and two novels, Crudo and The Silver Book.

Join us for an evening of thrilling conversation with two legends of their craft - Jane Harper and Ann Cleeves to celebrate the launch of their latest titles - Last One Out and The Killing Stones. The evening promises brilliant tales from these amazing writers as theyshare about their novels and give us an insight intotheir writing processes.

As the dark days retreat and Spring begins to unfurl, we embrace the light with new collections of original art and craft curated for the season, direct from the makers' studios. Our headline exhibition this season is from landscape painter Hester Berry titled; 'Where the light falls' - a collection that lifts the spirits and encourages quiet contemplation. Artists including Sarah Morgan and Gail Mason further explore these themes in their painting and print collections drawing inspiration from the natural landscape, light and weather, inviting calm reflection. Matthew Wood uses light within interior spaces to bring us glimpses of overlooked corners of historic buildings, whilst jeweller Matilda Press uses silver and gem stones to create geometric and organic forms to mimic light patterns. This spring we invite you to slow down, to notice the changing seasons and subtle shifts of light, and be reminded of the pleasure we can receive in the handmade and original works from artists and makers.

Jennifer Saint returns to the North East to celebrate the launch of her latest novel This Immortal Heart. An epic story of love and war as two opposing deities find themselves drawn to each other against all odds. Because when Aphrodite and Ares fall in love, sparks are bound to fly. THIS IS THE OLDEST LOVE STORY OF ALL TIME . Though her world is one of beauty, she is the most dangerous god of all, ruled by passion regardless of the consequences. Ares, God of War, is her perfect contradiction: feared, unwanted and relentless in his devotion to chaos. Where she breathes life into longing, he thrives in destruction.And yet gods are no more immune to love and loss than anyone else, and soon their lives collide. But even divine love can't protect them from the fates of Mount Olympus, and whilst the God of War may be capable of greater love than anyone else, so may the Goddess of Love be capable of the gravest mistakes. Jennifer Saint will be in conversation with local author Lizzy, Tiffin.