Into The Light

Into the Light – Empowering Communities, Igniting Creativity, Shaping Futures

Into the Light is a place-based creative collaboration that will drive long-lasting growth in County Durham. It will cultivate talent, widen access to creative education, enhance the skills of the cultural workforce, and break down barriers to working in the creative industries. The programme is a catalyst to level us up, mining our assets in new and imaginative ways to illuminate the ideas, history, communities and culture that shape our county. Just as our coalfields made Durham the cradle of the industrial revolution, Into the Light ignites ambitious county-wide collaboration that returns power to left behind communities, inspires children and young people, and develops the next generation of leaders as place-shapers in a global network. Over the next three years, Into the Light will support over 100 creative commissions, create nationally significant performance and theatre-making in the heart of our communities, invite visitors to explore our unique intersection of culture, science, and heritage, and deepen our collective understanding of our place in the world.

Into the Light is delivered by Durham County Council in partnership with Beamish Museum, The Bowes Museum, Durham University, Ensemble ’84, The Forge, No More Nowt, Northern Heartlands, Redhills CIO and TIN Arts. Culture Durham is a key stakeholder, representing the broader cultural sector.

Programme overview

The Programme consists of 8 projects across 3 interconnected themes.