About

SUNDOWN is a diverse arts event playing host to live music, spoken word, comedy, short films, DJ’s and any other performance art. It is based in Southend-on-sea but now curates events in London and throughout the UK, including many festivals.

SUNDOWN began in 2003 as simply a poetry night with one live music act on the bill, with the original idea being that ‘when the sun goes down, an evening of arts entertainment and community can work together’.  It was then put on hold until it came alive again in August 2004 with the idea of booking an array of different quality acts.

WE have been running for 9 years, celebrating our birthday every November.

We have collaborated with many other organisations and events including Apples & Snakes, Writers Centre Norwich, Whitechapel Arts Gallery, Arctic Circle, Union Chapel, The Jam, Norwich Arts Centre, The Maltings, The Glass Onion, Southend Festival, Village Green, Metal, Bury St Edmunds Festival, Leigh Folk Festival, Sutton with Shopland Festival, Level 4 Magazine and many more.

“Like the WI, if the WI smoked dope”
– Jo Caulfield

Artists we’ve had perform include Frank Sidebottom, Jim Bob, Ed Harcourt, Adem, Jo Caulfield, Isy Suttie, Josie Long, Kiosk of Champions, Josh Weller, Luke Wright, Scroobius Pip, Laura Dockrill, Pictish Trail, The Langley Sisters, Sam Lewis, John Hegley, Kate Tempest, Tim Clare, Francesca Beard, Martin Newell, Ladygarden, Helen Arney, Elvis McGonegall, Jay Foreman and many, many others.

The Artistic Director behind Sundown is Jo Overfield, her Assistant Artistic Director is Ray Morgan. Sundown’s featured poet is Cherryl Scott who also helps with volunteering and promotion.  Our main sound engineer and technician is Chris Davison who also helps with promoting and volunteering.  This is our Sundown team.

We are a non-profit organisation with very little funding, run entirely by volunteers for the passion of the arts.  Any money received on the door goes straight back into the running of the event – advertising, paying acts, promotion, printing, research etc.  We received Arts Council funding for a small Sundown project back in 2008 called How Many Roads?  and towards our Village Green stage/tent in 2012.  Sundown is moving into the world of curating and producing having taken inspiration from events such as the Meltdown festival at the South Bank Centre and the ATP events.

However, we still like to stage local events in Southend and Essex as this is where we started and it shan’t be forgotten.

“Sundown is charming” – Luke Wright

“Like the W.I, if the W.I smoked dope” – Jo Caulfield

Thanks to poet Jamie Spracklen for the name, Olly Paterson for logo design and Nathan Jones for website tailoring.