PLANS have been unveiled for a group aiming to put culture and creative activity at the heart of everyday life for a north Durham community.

The group, being set up as part of Chester-le-Street's local strategic partnership, will examine ways to pool resources to help raise the profile of all art forms, as part of community regeneration.

The initiative will provide an impetus for local art, music and theatre groups - helping them network with other groups in the region, while making cultural events more accessible to residents.

In a first step towards creating the group, about 60 delegates met at the Lumley Castle Hotel to share ideas. They included representatives of Beamish Museum, schools, the Northern Proms, Durham County Cricket Club, Chester-le-Street District Council officers and arts officers from other local authorities.

District council development services director Tony Galloway said: "We are exploring ways in which culture and creativity can be used to enhance the social and economic regeneration and development within the district, as part of the local strategic partnership.

"We will be looking at ways of sharing our collective resources for future activity, programmes and developments."

Council chief executive Roy Templeman said: "We have fantastic assets on our doorstep, such as the Riverside.

"Not only does the cricket club feature a national and international sporting arena, but there are far more people visiting the site for the park and recreation.

"We would like to work with the club to use both facilities by organising a range of events throughout the year.

"The Northern Proms has been extended this year to cover the whole weekend.

"We would like to see how that can connect with other events and activities in the district."

Mr Templeman said that, on a smaller scale, the group would hope to provide a platform for the district's many historical and arts societies.

Council arts officer Jo-Anne Mason said: "This is a starting point for lots of commitment and investment in culture and creativity.

It is about providing Chester-le-Street with a cultural identity and finding ways of using existing facilities more effectively.

"There are many thriving local art groups which have established themselves through taking up drawing classes.

We will be able to raise their profile and help them network with other artists across the region."