Creativity Works was a creative enterprise development programme that provided opportunities for creative people and creative businesses in South Durham to engage in activities in partnership with major arts organisations located in the area. The programme catered for individuals working in a diverse range of creative activities including visual arts, crafts, digital arts, music, performing arts, writing, dance, and radio.
Building on Creative Tradition
South Durham has a continuing rich tradition of creativity, innovation and enterprise, often linked to its industrial heritage, perhaps best known through works such as those of Norman Cornish and the Pitmen Painters. Within a relatively small area, there is a diverse cluster of creative and cultural venues: Locomotion, Bishop Auckland Town Hall, and the Auckland Project.
The Opportunity
With funding from the Community Led Local Development fund (ERDF) and Arts Council England, the programme created opportunities for participants to:
- work alongside successful artists and create new work in a diverse range of creative practises which will be exhibited in local cultural venues
- work alongside and draw upon the expertise of curators, commissioners and cultural engagement officers
- create new work designed to engage new audiences and build relationships with premier cultural venues
- access creative enterprise development programmes
- access grants to develop new works
- develop entrepreneurial capacities and skills
- access wider business and creative support provision
- gain confidence, focus and energy
We achieved this by:
- Running creative residencies
- Delivering creative enterprise programmes
- Offering mentoring and coaching
- Brokering relationship
- Organising networking
- Providing grants
- Creating exhibiting/performance opportunities
Contact:
Jane Shaw: jane@createnorth.co.uk
Rob Guest: rob@createnorth.co.uk
Here are some videos from the project, created by Carl Joyce.
