A Paul Hamlyn Foundation funded project challenging power structures and enouraging community members to collaborate and work together. Here you can find out all about our current projects. Turning the Hourglass Back to Past Projects “Turning The Hourglass” is funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation ‘Arts Access & Participation Fund’. We’re working with communities in the parish of Dene Valley and the village of Witton Park, listening to what local residents would like to see happen in their village, supporting exciting events such as the Dene Valley Winter Light Parade and a Hallowe’en Walk and enabling people to have the confidence to start making things happen for themselves. Both places are former 'Category D' locations: villages destined for demolition when the pits closed and deemed worthy of no further investment. We started working in Witton Park in 2021 and we've been working with the community in Dene Valley since 2018, building on work we began as a Great Place Scheme. Read about our approach to this work here in a report by artist/researcher Stephen Pritchard. Read the final evaluation report for Turning the Hourglass here. Project Gallery Witton Park: Halloween Story Walk Witton Park: Halloween Story Walk Dene Valley: One Winter's Night Witton Park: Halloween Story Walk 1/39 "Mayhem, Magic & Majesty" Dene Valley & Eldon Lane Festive Light Parade 2022 "One Winter's Night..." Dene Valley & Eldon Lane Festive Light Parade 2021 Thank you to our generous Funders: "One Winter's Night ..." finalist for North East Culture Awards 2022 "Best Event or Exhibition" We Need Your Support Today! Donate

View current contract opportunities for Artists to work on projects supporting communities in South West County Durham. Artist Call Outs * New Opportunity - PLACE Lab Weardale Wonders* We’re looking for a talented artist or creative team to help showcase the amazing cultural infrastructure of Weardale through a unifying series of artworks. This is your chance to collaborate with local partners and bring Weardale’s creativity and community spirit into the spotlight. More information and all the important details in the brief here: PLACE Lab Weardale Wonders Artist Brief Deadline for submissions: Monday, 8th December 2025 at 17:00 We Need Your Support Today! Donate

Between May 2021 and June 2022 we ran a social prescribing project called ‘NOW’ - a programme of activities helping to support those living with anxiety, depression, loneliness or mental health issues. It was funded by the National Academy for Social Prescribing and Arts Council England’s pioneering ‘Thriving Communities Fund thriving communities Back to Past Projects Between May 2021 and June 2022 we ran a social prescribing project called ‘NOW’ - a programme of activities helping to support those living with anxiety, depression, loneliness or mental health issues. It was funded by the National Academy for Social Prescribing and Arts Council England’s pioneering ‘Thriving Communities Fund' We worked with three delivery partners: Jack Drum Arts , TCR The Hub and UTASS. Over the course of the programme, our partners delivered more than 130 activity sessions including canoeing, nature walks, dancing, filmmaking, creative writing, arts, and crafts, helping with community events and sometimes just getting together for a cup of tea and chat. Read the full evaluation report here. What is Social Prescribing? Find out here Project Gallery UTASS UTASS Jack Drum Arts UTASS 1/21 Thank you to our generous Funders: We Need Your Support Today! Donate