YOUNG people from across east Durham are taking part in a showcase event to celebrate their achievements in organising art events across the district.

The event, which is part of No More Nowt Happens, will be held at the Dawdon Youth & Community Centre, in Seaham, from 5pm to 7pm on Friday.

East Durham Trust’s project, which is funded by County Durham Community Foundation, brings groups of young people together to plan and stage arts events with professional performers and artists in local non-traditional venues.

Performers have included Barry Hyde of the Futureheads and Door to Door Poet Rowan McCabe, who will join the young people in a multi-media celebration.

The project has seen a major photography exhibition, a music gig, a spoken word night, a comedy night and a digital art exhibition.

The events have engaged an audience of over 550 people and almost 100 young people have been involved.

Prior to organising the event many of the young people had never attended gigs or art exhibition but were encouraged during the project to go and see these events to inspire them ahead of the planning stage.

For many of the young people they also formed friendships and grew their social networks, learnt new skills and grew in confidence.

One participant said: "Before the No More Nowt Happens project I didn’t know what outside my bedroom was.”

East Durham Trust chief executive Malcolm Fallow said: “This project has been a revelation in that Young People have really helped to put their respective communities on the cultural map.”