Culture Northumberland works collaboratively with artists, creatives, and cultural organisations to provide a unified voice for the sector, championing its contribution to communities, supporting growth and resilience, and creating opportunities for collaboration. We celebrate and promote the people whose creativity brings our county to life, ensuring culture remains at the heart of Northumberland’s future.
Our Land, Our Culture, Our Creativity
Connecting, amplifying, and advocating for the cultural and creative sector across Northumberland.
Northumberland Cultural
Strategy 2026-2036
Strategy 2026-2036
Our Land,
Our Culture,
Our Creativity
The Northumberland Cultural Strategy sets out a clear and ambitious framework for the next ten years. It recognises culture as fundamental — contributing directly to economic growth, public health, place-making, skills development and community cohesion. It focuses on four Strategic Themes:
• create cultural opportunities for PEOPLE;
• improve and regenerate our PLACES;
• build our PARTNERSHIPS; and
• grow lasting PROSPERITY.
The Northumberland
Strategic Culture Network
Dr Chris Ferguson
Chair
Kiz Crosbie
Deputy Chair
Wendy Scott
NSCN Coordinator
The Northumberland Strategic Culture Network was formed in 2019 as a collaborative partnership with cultural leader representation across regeneration, health, education and universities, arts, heritage, faith, tourism and the voluntary sector. The Network provides county-wide leadership for culture, bringing together key organisations and stakeholders to deliver the Northumberland Cultural Strategy, attract investment, strengthen partnerships and ensure culture contributes to Northumberland’s economic, social and environmental wellbeing.
Its main aims are to:
- Provide strategic leadership for culture across Northumberland.
- Coordinate partnership working between cultural organisations, public bodies, funders and other sectors.
- Support delivery of the Cultural Strategy’s priorities, ensuring culture contributes to communities, place-making, wellbeing and economic growth.
- Attract and unlock strategic investment and funding for culture, heritage and the creative industries in Northumberland.
- Promote access, inclusion and participation, ensuring culture is available to people across the county and reflects Northumberland’s diverse identities and heritage.
One of the Northumberland Strategic Culture Network’s primary responsibilities is to drive the delivery of the Northumberland Culture Strategy 2026-2036, strengthening collaboration between the county’s cultural sector and key strategic partners, including the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, Arts Council England and Northumberland County Council. Through a targeted Delivery Plan, the Network will oversee progress, supported by robust evaluation and annual reporting, highlighting progress against the sector’s shared ambitions and contributing to wider county, regional and national cultural priorities.
OUR VISION FOR CULTURE
IN NORTHUMBERLAND
Northumberland will be a place known for international cultural excellence: where 2,000 years of rich heritage comes alive; where all community voices are represented and celebrated; where arts and culture is accessible to everyone through every stage of life; and where thriving creativity drives our economic prosperity.
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Northumberland
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Northumberland Strategic
Culture Network
- 1.Ad Gefrin - Wooler
- 2.Alnwick Castle - Alnwick
- 3.Alnwick Garden - Alnwick
- 4.Alnwick Playhouse - Alnwick
- 5.Bailiffgate Museum - Alnwick
- 6.Bamburgh Castle - Bamburgh
- 7.Belsay (English Heritage)
- 8.Berwick Barracks (English Heritage) - Berwick
- 9.Cragside (National Trust) - near Rothbury
- 10.Dunstanburgh Castle (English Heritage)
- 11.Hexham Moot Hall - Hexham
- 12.Hexham Old Gaol - Hexham
- 13.Holy Island - Berwick (English Heritage)
- 14.Holy Island (National Trust)
- 15.House of Correction - Hexham
- 16.Kielder Forest & Water Park
- 17.Kielder Observatory - Kielder
- 18.Market Pavilion - Blyth
- 19.Bagpipe Museum - Morpeth
- 20.Mortal Fools - Ashington
- 21.Northumberland National Park Authority
- 22.Novo Theatre - Alnwick
- 23.Queen’s Hall Arts Centre - Hexham
- 24.Seaton Delaval Hall (National Trust)
- 25.The Maltings - Berwick
- 26.The Sill, National Landscape Discovery Centre
- 27.Vindolanda
- 28.Wallington (National Trust)
- 29.Woodhorn Museum - Ashington