PLACE Lab
From 2024-2026, Northern Heartlands led PLACE Lab Weardale and PLACE Lab Shildon, two of six initial PLACE Labs across County Durham delivered through Into the Light, an Arts Council England funded Place Partnership programme.
Our approach at Northern Heartlands is rooted in deep listening. We created opportunities for communities to share what matters to them, test creative ways of bringing people together, and support local people, working alongside creative practitioners, to shape the conversations, ideas and activity that emerged.
Rather than arriving with fixed solutions, we worked alongside communities, helping surface local priorities, build confidence and strengthen connections.
PLACE Lab Weardale
Working across Weardale's rural villages, we began by listening, creating opportunities for communities to share what matters to them. Through conversations at agricultural shows, community events and meetings with local organisations, we explored local aspirations, challenges and opportunities for culture and creativity.
This engagement identified priorities that PLACE Lab could support, including enhancing Weardale Together CIC's Winter Wassail. As relationships grew, a shared ambition emerged to increase visibility, connection and pride across Weardale, informing the commissioning of artist Adrian Riley and the development of Weardale Wonders in 2026.
Through creative conversations, workshops and the co-creation of five public artworks, Weardale Wonders celebrated the people, stories and landscapes of the Weardale, uncovering shared priorities, strengthening local identity and making visible the cultural connections that link communities across Weardale.
PLACE Lab Shildon
In Shildon, our PLACE Lab work began by listening to local partners, organisations and residents to understand their ambitions and the role that culture and creativity could play.
The 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway generated excitement and activity, but communities/partners identified gaps where additional support could make a difference. PLACE Lab provided support for banner making workshops, materials and documentation of the community led Little Street Cavalcade helping local people play an active role in the celebrations.
In 2026, through the National Heritage Lottery Fund Strategic Heritage Places initiative, we explored what happens when young people are trusted to lead conversations about their community and their future. Working alongside award winning theatre maker Vic Melody, we created space for ideas to emerge, supporting young people to shape the direction of the project.
The young people formed the Heard to Hushed Collective, developing research and interviewing skills to explore what local people valued most about Shildon's heritage and identity. Through activities including a visit to the Durham Miners' Gala, they gathered stories, sounds and experiences, while exploring ideas of activism, belonging and collective voice.
Their discoveries inspired the theatre production "Our Turn", where they shared their reflections on heritage, community and the future they want to create. What excited us about this work was watching the confidence grow, ideas being shared and young people having their say and being heard.
A recording of the full performance of "Our Turn" is available on request.
PLACE Lab is part of "Into the Light", a transformative programme of creative, collaborative projects across County Durham.
