Join the

CREATIVE CALL

FROM COUNTY DURHAM

A shared commitment to back culture, creativity and community in County Durham.

Together, we will continue to build a county where arts and culture are visible, valued and accessible.

About the Creative Call From County Durham

WE ARE GREATER THAN THE SUM OF OUR PARTS

No single organisation can build County Durham’s creative future alone.

Into the Light has created a space where artists, communities, organisations and sectors can meet as partners; sharing ideas, connecting opportunities and testing what becomes possible when different strengths are brought together.

Our role is not to own every idea or deliver every solution. It is to connect and help good work travel further.

Our founding partners: Beamish Museum, The Bowes Museum, Creativity Works (Create North), Durham County Council, Durham University, Ensemble ’84, The Forge, No More Nowt, Northern Heartlands and TIN Arts; and supporters Culture Durham and Visit County Durham, collectively boast an unrivalled history of creativity, community and pride.

“Creativity is the fuel of human connection, economic growth, and civic renewal. It is never purely decorative. Starting in County Durham, working around the world, and coming full circle back, I have seen the transformative power of creativity. It helps places discover confidence, tell a new story, and find meaning.
Into the Light was born out of the ambition behind County Durham’s UK City of Culture 2025 bid. Over the last two years, we have harnessed this collective energy of The Culture County into one simple question: What role can creativity play in driving regeneration?
The answer has not come from us alone.
It has come from the artists, communities, educators, businesses, and cultural organisations across County Durham who have generously shared their experiences, challenged our thinking, and helped shape our priorities”.
— Julia Handelman-Smith, Director of Into the Light

Will you back the Creative Call From County Durham?

Five key themes and endless possibilities for our culture county.

This is your opportunity to get behind the Creative Call and continue to build a county where creativity is visible, valued and accessible to all. We know we can’t do everything overnight, but if we come together around a shared cause, we can effect real change across the county and beyond, instilling a future-focused approach to the creative work happening across County Durham.

ACCESS: Make opportunities more visible and easier to access.
VALUE: Treat creative work fairly and support sustainable careers.
CONNECTION: Build County Durham’s creative scene and create opportunities to connect.
COMMUNITY: Empower communities to shape culture that feels unique to them.
INNOVATION: Make space to test ideas, take risks and learn openly.