Listen to a Q&A with Gez Casey from the Arts Council about funding applications. Q&A with ACE Back to past projects Q&A with Gez Casey 00:00 / 40:18 Back to the Artists' Network Click below to listen to the Q&A with Gez Casey from the Arts Council about how to write a successful funding application. We Need Your Support Today! Donate

A Heritage Fund project exploring the history of Willington in County Durham and encouraging local people to connect with their heritage. Hidden Heritage and wellbeing Back to Past Projects Hyem Fest! Over the course of a year spanning 2022-23, we worked with the community in the former mining town of Willington – building on our previous event The Man Engine – helping schools, community groups and care home residents explore the story of their town from medieval times to the present day. The whole project culminated in an exciting event on the Town Green and we’re delighted to say that the information gathered from feedback indicated that wellbeing increased for those who take part, as well as a wider group of people inspired by heritage. We started with 70 volunteers helping to celebrate the beacon lighting as part of the Platinum Jubilee back in June 2022 and ended with Hyem Fest! in July 2023. Read the Hidden Heritage & Wellbeing report by University of Birmingham here Visit the website dedicated to Hidden Heritage here . Hidden Heritage and Hyem Fest! Play Video Play Video 03:16 Time Detectives The "Time Detectives" took the children of 5 primary schools in Willington and surround area on a whistle-stop tour through history to help the Detectives find their way back to the rightful place in time in the distant future. On the way, the children discovered more about where they live and what it means to them. Play Video Play Video 02:25 Pathways through Time - Print Workshop As part of our Hidden Heritage & Wellbeing project in Willington, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we hosted a series of print workshops with professional Artist, Sara Cox. Participants were encouraged to think about the journeys they take in the place where they live then represent these using simple printing techniques onto a canvas bag. The process gave an opportunity for participants to consider their place from a different perspective, thinking about what's important or meaningful about it and how it makes them feel. Play Video Play Video 02:59 Pathways through Time - Animation As part of our Hidden Heritage & Wellbeing project in Willington, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we hosted a series of animation workshops with professional Artist, Sherly Jenkins. Participants were encouraged and supported to think about their place and its heritage, and the effect of both on their wellbeing, using story-telling through animation to express their thoughts and ideas. Play Video Play Video 02:27 Getting Ready for the Hyem Fest! Parade Hear all about what the primary school children in Willington and surrounding villages have been doing to prepare for the Hyem Fest! parade on Saturday, 15th July in Willington. Play Video Play Video 05:47 Hyem Fest! Turtley Willington Hyem Fest! in Willington on Saturday, 15th July 2023. Despite unpredictable weather (it rained a lot!!), "Turtley Willy" received a warm welcome from the people of Willington on the Town Green and had a fantastic time in the parade with the Time Detectives, school children from Hunwick Primary, Our Lady & St Thomas' Primary, St Stephen's Primary, Sunnybrow Primary and Willington Primary, community members, dancers from the Sandra Welsh School of Dance and New Brancepeth Revellers. The Time Detectives Time Detective Jo in action Crowd at Hyem Fest The Time Detectives 1/13 Thank you to our generous Funders: 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 We have no open opportunities to work with us just now. Keep checking this space and follow us on our socials to hear about any upcoming opportunities. We Need Your Support Today! Donate

Find out about the diverse range of projects we are currently working on throughout South West County Durham! Strategic Partnerships Back to projects Text needed, images and/or logos We Need Your Support Today! Donate

View current training opportunities for Artists. Training Opportunities We don't currently have any training opportunities. Visit this site for other opportunities: Create North Throughout 2021, we hosted the County Durham Artists' Network. Click the link below to browse the various presentations that were delivered artists and organisations. Artists' Network We Need Your Support Today! Donate

Setting the Scene is part of the Creative Catalysts project taking part in Witton Park and Coundon between June and September 2024. Setting The Scene Back to Connected Communities Setting The Scene, aimed to encourage participation, the expression of ideas and ignite curiosity. Artists Ronan Devlin and Dominic Smith worked in collaboration within the community to creatively test ideas and explore how local networks can support and define the present and future identities of these communities. By co-creating a programme featuring audio material, newspaper spreads, walks and local events, the project highlighted and helped connect the unique qualities and creativity of the people of Coundon and Witton Park. Click the book to read the final report for Setting the Scene Click the book to add your details to the Northern Heartlands Creative Directory 10 workshops, walks and eventswere delivered to engage communities, 2 final events at local community centres engaged local musicians and children to play, providing space for celebration and community interaction The project culminated in distributing approximately 4000 newspapers throughout Coundon and Witton Park, containing images from community workshops, QR codes linked to audio stories, and reflections from community members Click the headphones to listen to the audio pieces that were created for each page of the newspaper Click the image to see some of the creative activity that took place in Setting the Scene Click the image to read Setting the Scene newspaper Thank you to our generous funders: We Need Your Support Today! Donate

A project funded by DEFRA through the Farming in Protected Landscapes scheme using arts and creativity to engage Teesdale primary school children with the landscape in Upper Teesdale and the rare and special flora to be found there. Cuthbert's moor Back to Landscape and Environment Cuthbert’s Moor is an area of peatland, heath and grassland habitats that support birds including lapwing, snipe, redshank, curlew and golden plover, short-eared owl and black grouse, all species which are declining nationally due to changes in land use. This site in Teesdale, County Durham lies within the North Pennines National Landscape boundary and is a Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI). Working in partnership with Durham Wildlife Trust, we engaged an artist to work with a community group and secondary school students to explore environmental challenges and the critical role of peatlands in the UK's ecosystem. 6 Felting sessions with UTASS, Middleton-in-Teesdale and with students from Teesdale School took place with artist Claire Priestley Over 40 Participants explored ideas about the importance of the peat and environmental factors 2 collaborative artworks were created in response by participants using wet felting techniques and needle felt. Artwork was exhibited at Teesdale School in 2024 and at Bowlees Visitor Centre in 2025. Thank you to our generous Funders: We Need Your Support Today! Donate

A project exploring how social prescribing and the Arts can work together to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities. Funded by the National Academy for Social Prescribing. health & wellbeing Back to projects We have seen at first hand the very real benefits of creative social prescribing – working with professional creative practitioners to deliver supported free sessions for a whole range of people living with loneliness, anxiety, depression or other mental health issues. Read here about our past and current projects that are using arts and artists to deliver some amazing health and wellbeing outcomes… Bishop Auckland I:D Project Take Part in Teesdale We Need Your Support Today! Donate

Pride in Teesdale was a programme of arts events and activities bringing communities together to celebrate LGBTQIA+ culture and diversity and to increase representation and visibility in deeply rural communities across Teesdale. Northern Heartlands partnered with YMCA Teesdale, Curious Arts, TCR Hub, The Bowes Museum and The Witham Pride in Teesdale Back to Connected Communities In 2024/25 we worked in partnership to deliver Pride in Teesdale. The programme of arts events and activities brought communities together to celebrate LGBTQIA+ culture and diversity and increase visibility in deeply rural communities across Teesdale. The programme was led by YMCA Teesdale and included Curious Arts, Northern Heartlands, TCR Hub, The Bowes Museum and The Witham. 837 attendees engagaged in activities including ceilidhs, an exhibition, creative workshops and a film programme 14 events were delivered across 6 community and cultural venues in Teesdale The programme included 2 development and training events for artists and cultural/community sector workers The programme suppported the development of a new partnership Next Project Thank you to our partners and funders: We Need Your Support Today! Donate

Delivered in partnership with No More Nowt in 2024/25, Cultivate Commissions was designed to support creative practitioners to work with and alongside communities in County Durham to increase participation in arts activity, develop creativity and instil pride within communities. The goal of Cultivate Commissions was to bolster creativity in County Durham. Cultivate Commissions Back to Connected Communities Delivered in partnership with No More Nowt, Cultivate Commissions supported creative practitioners to work with communities in County Durham to increase participation in arts activity, develop creativity and instil pride within communities. The goal of Cultivate Commissions was to develop creative growth in the county. 20 artists/arts organisations received a commission. 2273 people directly took part in activity 12,608 people engaged with the project. "This project allowed me to finally build an idea that's been rattling around for a long time! It was a privilege to bring it to life in a bustling shopping centre and engage a diverse cross-section of the community. The unique setting inroduced me to new participants and brodened my understaning of audience engagement in non-traditional art spaces." [Artist] "This project has been my most ambitious participatory project to date...it has provided an opportunity to connect with new community groups and organisations, and to get to know Bishop Auckland through the eyes of its communities." [Artist] Outcomes included: Strengthened networks and partnerships, Increased creative practitioner and community confidence Increased participation in the arts 7 further artist commissions secured and 4 new groups established Next Project Read the full report on Cultivate Commissions here Cultivate Commissions is part of "Into the Light" , a transformative programme of creative, collaborative projects across County Durham. We Need Your Support Today! Donate

From September 2024 to March 2025 we delivered The I:D Project - using creativity to inspire young people in Teesdale to explore their curiosity, identity, and their sense of place and belonging in the world, to support positive wellbeing outcomes as part of Durham County Council’s Big Arts Project. the i:d project Back to Health and Wellbeing Next Project The I:D Project brought artists and young people together to explore identity, sense of place, and encourage curiosity with the aim of improving wellbeing. We worked with students from Teesdale School & Sixth Form and with young people from TCR Hub and UTASS. Activity included visual art and spoken word workshops with artist Lizzie Lovejoy , visits to Grassholme Observatory and a pop-up camera obscura residency with photographer Elaine Vizor . 390 young people from Teesdale took part 71% agreed "this activity has given me space to explore my own ideas" 68% agreed "using creative writing/photography/drawing has helped me to express my ideas" A booklet was created containing artwork and poems by young people providing a tool for future work Watch the I:D Project video to hear directly from the young people involved in the project Thank you to our generous Funders: We Need Your Support Today! Donate

Find out about the diverse range of projects we are currently working on throughout South West County Durham! Health and Wellbeing Landscape and Environment Connected Communities Past Projects Projects We Need Your Support Today! Donate