Third Sunderland songwriter wins coveted Alan Hull Award

articleindex followcenterhttps://www.communityfoundation.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Eve-Cole-Alan-Hull-2022-scaled.jpgcentermodule_group modules Array 1 https://www.communityfoundation.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Eve-Cole-Alan-Hull-2022-scaled.jpg Eve Cole, winner of the Alan Hull Award 2022. Photo courtesy of Andy Martin.

The Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland has announced Eve Cole as the recipient of the prestigious Alan Hull Award 2022.  

It’s the second year in a row that the award has gone to a young person from the Young Musicians Project, following last year’s winner, Faye Fantarrow. She is the third Sunderland songwriter to win the award alongside Faye and Martin Longstaff who performs under the name The Lake Poets and helps run the Young Musicians Project. 

The award of £1,000 is made annually to an emerging singer/songwriter or composer based in the North East in memory of Alan Hull, the Newcastle born songwriter and founder member of North East group Lindisfarne, who died in 1995.  

Reacting to the news of her success, Eve said: 

“Winning the Alan Hull Award is such an honour for me. With this bursary, I look forward to spending more time professionally recording and releasing my music. I would love to discover more about the world of songwriting and work with other artists in the future, to bring creative minds together to produce music that I can be both proud of and passionate about”.  

Jo Cundall, Senior Advisor, Culture at the Community Foundation who oversees the award, explained about the award: 

“This fund makes a real difference to the lives of aspiring musicians across the North East. The calibre of the submissions for the Alan Hull Award is getting stronger each year but Eve stood out for her inventive and arresting lyrics”. 

Lindisfarne’s Ray Laidlaw established the Alan Hull Award at the Community Foundation in memory of his friend and Lindisfarne bandmate to support young songwriters in the region.  

Ray said about Eve’s music: 

“Although there are those that would disagree, I don’t think songwriting is something you can learn. Sure there is a craft to it, but the most important ingredient can’t be learnt. It’s a particular way of looking at and interpreting the world around you and it’s either there or it’s not. I heard that element in Eve Cole’s songs. Eve has that gift and she can only get better with experience. I’m looking forward to hearing more songs from her”. 

For more information about funding opportunities at the Community Foundation visit www.communityfoundation.org.uk/apply