We are an experienced organisation specialising in creative engagement and participatory practice. Based in North East England and working nationwide, we help communities celebrate local identity, heritage, and culture. By amplifying local voices, we help empower people to spark creativity, overcome challenges, and drive meaningful change. Northern Heartlands - delivering trusted, creative community engagement. We bring the creativity of artists, communities and partners together to imagine new possibilities so that meaningful change can happen. We are a registered charity and an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. More about us What we offer We create the conditions for people to have their say and be heard. Community engagement Consultation and co-design Creative facilitation Team development Explore how we can work together Our work We bring imaginative and creative ways to support communities. Creative health Landscape & environment Connected communities Supporting creative practice Explore our work Our vision is for strong, connected, and healthy local communities, where people are actively involved in shaping their lives and their environment. Community member "Thank you for making this fab event happen." Support Us Help us to do more amazing work with local communities! Donate Now Thanks to our funders

Since 2017 Northern Heartlands has been successfully bringing creatives, communities and partners together to explore the ideas that matter the most. We want to help you, your business and your customers to make a positive difference. What we can offer Delivering trusted, creative community engagement Since 2017 Northern Heartlands has been successfully bringing creatives, communities and partners together to explore the ideas that matter the most. We want to help you, your business and your customers to make a positive difference. Who we are We are an organisation with many years experience of creative enquiry and participatory practice. We’re based in the North East of England and work nationally. We work with people to celebrate the unique identity of a place, valuing its heritage and culture, and fostering creativity. By amplifying local voices, we help empower communities to overcome challenges and imagine new possibilities so meaningful change can happen. What we do Creativity is at the heart of what we do. We design activity around the outcomes that matter to you, using a tailored, personable approach grounded in deep listening. Together, we explore the challenges you face - from connecting with customers and communities in memorable ways to strengthening relationships within your team. As a charity, we bring artists, communities and partners together in their own places through consultation, engagement and creative activity. We focus on where creativity can make the greatest difference, helping shape decisions that reflect community needs and aspirations. Our approach is underpinned by four stages REVEALING insights other methods can sometimes miss CONNECTING with diverse and often under-represented communities INSPIRING engagement, participation and behaviour change DELIVERING measurable outcomes aligned to your goals What we can do together Community engagement We use arts and creative practice to connect people with place and bring different voices and perspectives into conversations. Creative interventions that are fun and imaginative encourage those who are often least engaged to develop ideas, contribute meaningfully and share their expertise and understanding of issues facing people at a community level. Find out more Consultation and co-design We help communities who might not have the confidence to participate in decision making or who are not always included to make sure their voices are heard. We build on the strengths that exist and always start with listening. Find out more Creative facilitation We’ve brought together policy makers and farmers, environmentalists and artists, planners and communities to navigate complex issues – we facilitate the space for multi-faceted conversations and new thinking. Find out more Team development We work with businesses and organisations to discover creative techniques for working together, engaging teams and exploring ideas that lead to meaningful action. Find out more Our promise We create the conditions for people to share their views confidently and be genuinely heard. Our team of creative engagement specialists and producers has a strong track record of building trust across diverse communities and turning those relationships into meaningful, actionable insight. Let’s talk… Let’s explore how our creative approaches can help you connect meaningfully with the people at the heart of your success. Get in touch Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority CEO “This bi-monthly online event is a chance to get all staff up to speed on projects happening within the Authority but today we branched out and included you, our first external speakers, and I’m very glad that we did! You did a fantastic job in relaying both the overall project and the individual aspects that helped to make the Creatively Connected project.”

We began life as an Arts Council and Heritage Fund Great Place Scheme in 2017. We have now become a registered CIO and an Arts Council England National Portfoliol Organisation. Trusted, creative community engagement. About us We work with people to celebrate the unique identity of a place, valuing its heritage and culture, and fostering creativity. By amplifying local voices, we help empower communities to overcome challenges and imagine new possibilities so meaningful change can happen. Our programmes involve bringing together artists, communities and partners in their own spaces and places through consultation, engagement, activity and events. We work in places where creative engagement can make a big difference and can lead to policy and pracice which is better informed by community need and aspiration. We are a registered charity and an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. We have an office based in County Durham. We understand that every community and every organisation is different so our partnerships always start with a conversation and we listen first. "Working with Northern Heartlands has helped us to be braver around using creative enquiry to explore aspects of our work, especially with the farming community. The arts are not an add on, they have helped us find ways to articulate what we do, and to provide broader pathways for people to engage with us, and with their landscape." Director, North Pennines National Landscape. Since 2017, we've seen firsthand how the creative power of communities can bring about positive change. From connecting under-represented groups and supporting individual health and wellbeing, to working alongside local groups to champion our landscapes and environment, each initiative has show what becomes possible when people come together with purpose. Our mission, vision and values Workshop Participant “I personally have grown - gained confidence and feel more able to be myself” More about us... Our team Our team has extensive experience in the development and leadership of creative programmes, working with and alongside a national network of creative practitioners. Meet our team Our story Discover the story of how Northern Heartlands began - its origins, purpose and the early projects that shaped its direction. Our story Let’s talk… Get in touch to find out more