Arts Council England celebrates cultural events in the North East

Last night we celebrated the huge breadth of amazing, brilliant, innovative and inventive creative people and organisations here in the North East. Just one bright spark of creativity can light up a neighbourhood, prompting people to talk to each other and to join in, lifting their spirits and helping everyone to lead happier, healthier lives.

This is clear from the talent represented by the shortlisted nominees, whether it’s Newcastle Circus Arts touring a new show called Shy Bairns Get Nowt, designed to inspire confidence among the young, or a group of creative people in Peterlee who come together as No More Nowt to challenge the claim that “nowt happens here”.

We’re proud that No More Nowt grew out of our Arts Council Creative People & Places programme launched in 2012. It focuses on helping more people in more places to create and enjoy high quality culture close to home.

Such was the programme’s success in East Durham that it rebranded itself and now serves the whole of County Durham where it delivered over 1,400 hours of cultural activity in one year.

Access to creativity and culture, we believe, is a fundamental right and we’re committed to ensuring that everyone, wherever they live, has the opportunity to engage in high quality experiences.

And as these awards show, every person given the chance to be creative can become a powerful force for good.

How many must have taken heart from Fat Chance, written and performed by Middlesbrough actress Rachel Stockdale who turned the experience of being treated differently into a show that prompted laughter and tears? We were delighted to help fund a tour resulting in full houses and five-star reviews.

Whether it’s headline attractions, like the BBC Proms at the Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead or Durham’s renowned Lumiere festival, or the work of Mortal Fools in Ashington which introduces young people to drama and film, the power of the arts to enrich lives is clear to see… and clearly something to celebrate.