Cultivate Commissions – Meet the Cohort

31 August 2024

Cultivate Commissions are designed to support creative practitioners to work with and alongside communities in County Durham to increase participation in arts and creative activity that has a positive impact on communities.

In August 2024 our Community Panel chose a cohort of 20 creative practitioners and organisations to lead 20 projects and programmes until early 2025 together with County Durham communities.

The innovative ‘Cultivate Commissions’ project offers a springboard to enable creative practitioners and arts organisations to develop their work with communities across County Durham.

The first round of Cultivate Commissions includes 10 ‘Seed’ commissions of £2,000 awarded to projects in their early stages and 10 ‘Germinate’ and ‘Harvest’ commissions of £5,000 awarded to projects further along in the process. It follows an open call with nearly 60 applicants who applied for the 20 commissions.

The successful projects include explorations of LGBTQIA+ culture, drawing and painting local landscapes, circus and theatre making activity which reflects on ideas of identity and belonging. They span the county, covering areas including Tow Law, Stanley, Bowburn, Barnard Castle, Trimdon Grange and Peterlee.

Alison Clark, Head of Culture, Sport and Tourism at Durham County Council, said: “We are delighted to announce the first 20 creative commissions for the Into the Light programme. The core purpose of the initiative is to empower people to get involved in culture and create opportunities within our County Durham communities. We want culture to thrive in our county and these creative minds will play a key role in that. Congratulations to everyone who has been awarded the funding – we are excited to see their ideas brought to life.”

The creative practitioners plan to involve communities around County Durham with their projects and use learnings from the creative process to enhance their practice into the future.

Project leads No More Nowt and Northern Heartlands worked with over 100 creative practitioners over the summer, facilitating interactive sessions which explored how to develop creative capacities across the county.

Jess Hunt, Director of No More Nowt, said: “This is a wonderful springboard for artists, performers, photographers and other creative minds to spark ideas and take their work forward. We were thrilled to have so many strong applications and enjoyed the summer sessions where more creative practitioners had the opportunity to develop ideas and network.”

Katy Milne, Senior Manager at Northern Heartlands, said: “The creative activity will encourage pride of place and creativity within communities across County Durham. We can’t wait for it to get started and to come together for a celebration event in 2025.”

Artist Lizzie Lovejoy was awarded a £5,000 commission to develop their creative practice, and said: “It gives us the chance to be proud of our home and the people in it, looking not only at our past, celebrating our industrial heritage, but showcasing who we are today. Our stories, our lives, showing that they matter; that we are allowed to be creative.”

Zara Worth, another commissioned creative, commented: “I was over the moon to be awarded a Cultivate Seed commission to realise my new project ‘New Shrines (Hope)’. The commission has enabled me to make new connections with organisations in County Durham and work with new groups and communities on an exciting participatory artwork.”