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Northumberland County Council and its partners have been successful in attracting both Future High Streets and Town Deal funding to transform Blyth town centre. This substantial funding will stimulate confidence and further investment, create new jobs, bolster economic growth and transform the town ensuring it realises its full potential. This significant programme of renewal is underpinned by creative engagement with the community of Blyth demonstrating demand and support for positive change.  

 

The Energising Blyth masterplan recognises the vital role that culture can play in revitalising towns and cities.  The Culture and Placemaking Programme is informed by existing cultural programmes, organisations and creative practitioners active in Blyth and builds on a framework of partnership working and a co-creation programme of projects and activities that engage and benefit local people from 2022 - 2026, including the opening of a new Cultural Centre in 2024.

The Council has commissioned a creative team, PlaceCreate, to support the development of the Culture and Placemaking Programming working with local people, residents and organisations to develop and deliver a co-created programme of activities that look to embed an authentic connect to people, projects and place./

 

A series of pilot creative projects are underway for the first half of this year and a second phase of projects will take place from May 2022 involving local people, community groups, schools working collaboratively with artists, designers and a broad range of practitioners.  As the programme develops, opportunities for artists and practitioners will be shared by Culture Northumberland, NCC and partners. If you would like to hear more about this programme, Culture Northumberland and/or other opportunities across Northumberland please subscribe here.

 

For specific enquiries about the Energising Blyth Culture and Placemaking Programme please email Cristina Armstrong, Creative Producer at cristina@placecreate.co.uk