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

Find out about the diverse range of projects we are currently working on throughout South West County Durham! Here you can find out about our current projects. Health and Wellbeing Landscape and Environment Connected Communities Stories from Ukraine Past Projects Projects 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. Bishop Auckland heritage Back to Past Projects Bishop Auckland Heritage Trail "On the Map" co-created by textile artist Gillian Arnold with local schools and members of the community BISHOP AUCKLAND HERITAGE TRAIL.pdf CLICK IMAGE FOR BISHOP AUCKLAND HERITAGE TRAIL AUDIO Scan this QR code to find out more about Bishop Auckland history and heritage 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

Our vision is for flourishing places, where people use creativity to gain confidence, explore what matters, express their views and contribute to society.  Our Mission... ... is to engage and support local people and communities by using creativity to develop agency, build social capital and foster individual potential. Communities and the artists we work with are at the heart of what we do. We know that people are the real experts in where they live, the issues they face and what needs to change, so we always start by listening. We trust in the skills and knowledge of creative practitioners because we have seen the incredible results, both artistically and for the lives of people who take part. We are committed to supporting the careers of artists in our region. The principles that guide us are set out below, with creativity at the heart of what we do. Our process is a circle because we know that change takes time and trust is hard to earn – so we are in it for the long term with the people, places and artists we work with. We are experimental, we are always trying to learn from successes and failures, and we share that learning. We want to extend understanding between people and across sectors. Our Vision OUR VISION is for strong, connected, and healthy communities, where people are actively involved in shaping their lives and their environment. We strive to achieve our Vision and Mission by: Recognising that each place we work in, and each community we work with, is unique Working with creative practitioners in everything we do Ensuring we always work collaboratively with communities Always reviewing, learning from, and adapting our approach and sharing our learning with others Supporting artists and creative practitioners to reach their full potential Working in partnership Our Way of Working Our Values WE WILL BE: COMMITTED to what we do, to each other and to those we work with TRUSTED by each other and by those we work with DIGNIFIED in our own actions and by respecting the dignity of everyone we work with AMBITIOUS for ourselves, for our organisation and the places, the communities, and the individuals we work with AUTHENTIC in all of our actions HUMBLE in respecting and valuing the opinions and beliefs of others Our Way of Working We Need Your Support Today! Donate

Find out about the difference we make to communities in South West County Durham, what the Arts can offer and why our work is important. The Difference We Make "I felt like I was really part of something very special." FOR INDIVIDUALS We know that taking part in creative activities can improve people's confidence and wellbeing. Evaluation of our 2021-2 Thriving Communities wellbeing programme found statistically significant improvements in participants' life satisfaction and sense of doing worthwhile activities. Read the full evaluation report (2022). Participants in our projects often tell us they feel more confident and happier. People with chronic mental and physical health conditions tell us the activities can help to improve their quality of life. "The group is more family than friends. I feel more confident and fulfilled, and have something to take my mind to a happy safe place. Something I want to get out of bed for." Creativity in Crisis participant feedback (2020). IN COMMUNITIES Our staff and board are all local to this area and care about it passionately. We listen to people and work with them to create the culture they feel is important, which has been everything from a Christmas tree to an opera about regeneration. As well as performances, events and installations, our projects have supported people to start their own choirs, gardening projects and community groups. We also support the local economy by employing local artists, businesses, community groups and venues. Watch a film about our work in Dene Valley (2021) People tell us the creative activities make them feel differently about where they live: "It was lovely seeing the community engaging in a positive way. It was also evident that the local people share a real passion for the area." More Than Viable participant feedback (2019) FOR ARTISTS Participatory and community-led creative practice requires skill, technique and experience. We value the amazing artists and creatives we work with, and aim to support emerging artists, giving people opportunities so they can make a living in this rural area. We work with local artists as much as possible, we pay Artists' Union recommended rates, and we provide training and networking opportunities to help build careers. Watch a conversation between participatory artists about so-called 'hard to reach' communities (2020) "[The training] helped clarify my thoughts about my work and express myself more clearly. It introduced new ideas about how to price applications and who I could apply to." Artists' Training & Development Network, participant feedback (2021) WORKING FOR CHANGE We know that change doesn't just happen from the grassroots, and that many of the issues people face are due to policy decisions made far away. This is why we work to improve connections between the arts and non-arts sectors, and share our learning about working with communities. We sit on regional groups and networks, our performances and films have been shown to policy makers and funders, and whenever possible we bring people face-to-face, so that those who make decisions can speak directly with those are affected by them. Watch the film of a project that brought together farmers and conservationists (2021) Our partners and stakeholders have included the Town and Country Planning Association, Durham County Council, Failte Ireland, North Pennines AONB, Natural England, Durham Dales Health Network, Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust, Durham University, Newcastle University, Believe Housing and Visit County Durham. We Need Your Support Today! Donate

A Heritage Fund project exploring the history of Willington in County Durham and getting local people to connect with their heritage. Hidden Heritage and wellbeing Back to Health & Wellbeing 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

Find out about opportunities to work with us and volunteer with us. External Evaluator Hidden Heritage and Wellbeing We are delighted to have been awarded funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund for a new project, “Hidden Heritage & Wellbeing”, and we are now seeking an independent evaluator for this project. The project will run from January 2022 to July 2023 and a final monitoring and evaluation report will need to be submitted by August 2023. The project will take place in Willington, County Durham. Key requirements of the role are: An understanding of community heritage and experience of evaluating heritage projects some evidence of understanding health and wellbeing outcomes The fee available for this work is £9,300 (inclusive of VAT and expenses) Deadline for applications is 12.00pm, Monday 14th February 2022 Full details are available here including background information and how to apply. More information We Need Your Support Today! Donate

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Find out about the diverse range of projects we are currently working on throughout South West County Durham! Past Projects Back to projects Great Place Scheme Bishop Auckland Heritage We Need Your Support Today! Donate

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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