How County Durham is reaping the benefits of placing culture at the heart of regeneration

Well, that’s what Georgina Haynes has done – and much more besides – during her four seasons as a member of Kynren’s 1,000-strong army of volunteers.

She has no doubt the experience has not only changed her life, but had a positive impact on the well-being of her community.

In this, Durham’s Year of Culture, the same could be said for a host of cultural events across the county, including Lumiere, Weardale Tub, the year-long Apollo 50th anniversary celebrations and a community opera to be staged at Locomotion, in Shildon, next May.

For 17-year-old Georgina, it just happens to have been Kynren, the spectacular show which has put Bishop Auckland on the international map.

Telling the epic tale of English history, Kynren was the vision of philanthropist Jonathan Ruffer, who established two charities – Eleven Arches and The Auckland Project – to act as a catalyst for the regeneration and establishment of Bishop Auckland as a tourist destination.

The all-volunteer cast and crew – known as ‘Archers’ – have earned the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Georgina, a student at Newcastle Sixth Form College, is an archetypal Archer: the personification of the benefits of cultural engagement that go much deeper than pounds and pence.

“It’s been an amazing experience which has given me some of my happiest times and created lifelong friendships,” says Georgina, who lives in the Weardale village of Westgate.

When Kynren was first launched in 2016, Georgina was dropped off for an audition for the horse-riding team by her mum, Jane.

Since that first season, Georgina, who has attended dance schools since she was small, has gone on to be a member of the Kynren dance team. She has also played a variety of roles, including portraying Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation in the finale.

Her aim now is to study economics at university, and she has no doubt the Kynren experience has helped prepare her for the next stage of her life.

“I’ve learned new skills as well as gained a lot more self-confidence – and that goes for the whole community,” she says. “County Durham is very spread out, but Kynren has brought people together. They’ve come out of their shells and engaged with other activities, so the knock-on effect is really positive.”

There’s no doubt Kynren has lived up to a promise made by Eleven Arches chief executive Anne-Isabelle Daulon when she first met the volunteers: “You will do something that is wonderful; something that will make you proud,” she told them.

“People have embraced it without a second thought because they wanted to help put their community on the map. It’s been a very selfless process and it is wonderful to see how proud they are of what’s been created,” she says.

“So many new skills have been learned, not just by those performing, but by those working behind the scenes. People are doing things they never thought they were capable of, and those skills are very transferable. All of this has led to an increase in self-confidence in every aspect of life.”

While Kynren has quickly become synonymous with County Durham, Jill Cole is already seeing the community benefits of a cultural event that’s yet to come.

Jill, the director of Northern Heartlands*, is working with international company Opera North to create a new opera for County Durham which will be performed in May 2020 at Locomotion, the National Railway Museum in Shildon. Composed by Durham-born Will Todd, the opera will tell the area’s story, with references to its mining heritage and rural traditions in the Upper Dale, but also look to the future.

Local people have already been helping to shape that story through creative workshops.

On September 28 there will be a public launch, with a call for the community to get more involved. “Local people will get to name the opera, have the chance to sing and sign up for the final performance,” says Jill. “There will also be opportunities to get involved backstage, with professional mentoring opportunities from Opera North.

“Investing in the arts is always a difficult political argument, but the benefits go much deeper than counting pennies,” says Jill, who passionately believes culture is transforming communities.

“If we build communities through the arts and creativity, people feel they belong and have a reason to get up in the morning. It improves mental health and boosts confidence, and that’s so important.”

Jill gives the example of bumping into a woman who had attended a theatre workshop in Startforth. “She gave me a big hug and told me she’d decided to stand for the parish council because it had made her realise she could make a difference,” Jill explains.

Earlier this year Northern Heartlands was also one of the partners in the Weardale Tub project, which saw local people of all ages creating handmade glass panels to be featured in a replica lead mining tub displayed at Killhope Lead Mining Museum in Weardale.

With Durham County Council’s community arts team working alongside Weardale Area Action Partnership, more than 220 children engaged with their industrial heritage in a creative and exciting way.

Around the same time, the Durham BRASS Festival attracted record-breaking audiences of more than 40,000, with more than 14,000 children taking part in music workshops in their schools.

The list of cultural events goes on in every corner of Durham.

Councillor Joy Allen, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for transformation, culture and tourism, is thrilled by the impact they are having in aiding community cohesion, instilling pride of place and increasing prosperity.

“Investing in the arts is so important; it raises aspirations, creates a sense of civic pride and builds on County Durham’s reputation as a cultural destination which helps boost our tourist numbers,” she says.

That view is echoed by county council leader Simon Henig: “We set out to encourage community engagement right across the county and it’s fantastic to see that coming to fruition. Thousands of people are getting unforgettable experiences from being involved in world-class events,” he says.

“The benefits massively outweigh what the council puts into culture because it’s about so much more than money. It is changing lives – and how can you put a price on that?”

• Northern Heartlands is the Durham Great Place Scheme supported with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England.

And there's so much more to come...

DURHAM’S Year of Culture continues throughout September and beyond with a range of creative events and plenty of opportunities to get involved. Here are some of the highlights:

Kynren: There are only two more performances this year – on September 7 and 14. Book tickets at kynren.com.

Lumiere – Keys of Light installation: Pianists of all ages are invited to apply to perform at Lumiere as part of a striking new piece, Keys of Light, an interactive light installation by Dutch artist Mr. Beam. Triggered by sound, the artwork is
co-created by audience members who will take part in a series of live solo performances.

Successful participants will get to play a selection of their chosen pieces on a grand piano and see their music visualised through dazzling projections. Be it Mozart or Michael Bublé, all piano pieces are welcome. Don’t miss your chance to get creative and share your musical skills. To take part, please email participation@artichoke.uk.com for an application form or call 020 76507611.

The 10th anniversary edition of Lumiere, the UK’s largest light festival, takes place from November 14–17.

Apollo by Steve Messam:  Between 10am and 9pm from September 19-22 there will be a temporary art installation at the Apollo Pavilion, in Peterlee, by renowned landscape artist Steve Messam. The piece will be playful and tactile, encouraging people to look at and experience the Pavilion in a new way.

In My World: From September 14 to November 2, the Gala Gallery in Durham City will take visitors on a journey through young people’s eyes as they tell you their stories with images and words, sharing their sense of place and identity in south west Durham. This thought-provoking exhibition is a collaborative project in which young people, aged ten to 19, worked with photographer Lee Dobson and creative writer Dr Lucie Brownlee.