We began life as an Arts Council and Heritage Fund Great Place Scheme in 2017. We have now become a registered CIO. Our History We began life back in 2017 as one of England’s 16 ‘Great Place Schemes’. Jointly funded by Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Scheme was designed to pilot new approaches to local investment in arts, culture and heritage. Northern Heartlands’ ‘great place’ was the south-west corner of County Durham; an area comprising the Area Action Partnership districts of Teesdale and Weardale (rural, isolated villages and hill farms), Bishop Auckland & Shildon, and the ‘Three Towns Partnership’ of Tow Law, Crook and Willington (small towns and surrounding settlements of the former Durham coalfield). Over the three years, projects ranged from small one-off workshops to a major new community opera created with local communities in partnership with Opera North. A small grants scheme supported by County Durham Community Foundation saw 47 projects developed by community groups. Approaches ranged from an innovative 18-month project commissioning an artist/researcher to work with hill-farmers to harness their views and voices, to ethnographic engagement with a cluster of small, neglected settlements in the Dene Valley Parish – once destined for demolition under the infamous Category D scheme when the pits closed – and supporting a major outdoor arts event in the former coal-mining town of Willington where, prior to Northern Heartlands’ engagement and as one young person succinctly put it, “nothing ever happens”. At the end of the Great Place Scheme, it was clear to us that this work had only just begun. Our evaluation revealed that our work had a profound impact on our communities, including: increased pride in the area increased confidence in themselves greater connection to the heritage and culture of the area as well as having a positive impact on health and wellbeing At the end of 2019 we made the decision to establish Northern Heartlands as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in its own right. Going forwards we will continue our work primarily in the south-west corner of County Durham, building on existing relationships with communities as well as striving to forge new ones in order to continue the work we have begun. We Need Your Support Today! Donate

Get in touch with the Northern Heartlands team and we would be happy to help! Get in touch 01833 200220 Northern Heartlands, 3 Witham Studios Hall Street, Barnard Castle DL12 8JB First Name Last Name Email Subject Type Your Message Here Send Thanks for submitting! We Need Your Support Today! Donate

Our work is broad, and our current projects include health and wellbeing activities (including social prescribing), working with villages to bring about change, and delivering artist development opportunities. About us Northern Heartlands is a charity based in County Durham bringing the creativity of artists together with individuals, community groups, schools and partner organisations. Together, we create performances, activities and events that change how people feel about themselves, the places where they live, and what happens there. We work with people living in the deeply rural areas of Teesdale and Weardale, and with the post-industrial towns and villages of the former Durham coalfield. Current projects include health and wellbeing activities to support people living with poor mental health (including social prescribing), a town-wide community heritage project, and a partnership project protecting endangered plants in Teesdale. Read about our current projects here . “You brought what I think was a broken community back together - I have never felt so proud in my life” (Audience Member) We recognise that wider change is needed, so we also play a strategic role facilitating better communication and networking between the arts and non-arts sectors, and helping partner organisations improve their engagement with people in communities. Partners and stakeholders have included the Failte Ireland, Town & Country Planning Association, Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, Visit County Durham, Natural England and the North Pennines AONB Partnership. “What sets Northern Heartlands apart is artists using non-traditional ways to engage with communities and help tease out information. The project supports our Conservation 21 aim of putting people and their values at the heart of environmental projects” (Natural England Conservation 21 Case Study) We believe strongly in ‘co-production’ – working with people and artists to develop the projects, activities, and events they want. This means we don’t always know what the end will be when we start. We also believe that high quality arts, culture and heritage should be available to all. That's why we take our activities, performances and exhibitions out to where people are, whether that’s a village hall, town green, community centre, online or even someone’s front doorstep. We Need Your Support Today! Donate