Our Cultural Hubs are venues across East Durham that we collaborate with in creative projects. These Cultural Hubs each have their own unique creative voice and stage new art events, performances and exhibitions across East Durham. The dedication of our cultural hubs helps East Durham Creates reach even more people.

“East Durham Creates know how to add value to activities and know the value of creative activities- it’s not just a little bit of craft.”

Cultural Hubs are about establishing and empowering local community venues as centres that programme fantastic art events and performances in East Durham that reduce the need for local people to travel further afield to more traditional venues. The project continues to bring high-quality art performances and workshops to local community centres. Thousands of people have watched exciting theatre performances in community centres across East Durham as a result of the Cultural Hubs programme. Developed with the support of the East Durham Creates’ team the Cultural Hubs programme will continue to bring high-quality performances into local communities across East Durham.

The Cultural Hub programme has evolved since its launch during Phase 1 of East Durham Creates when we collaborated with five managers of five community centres to present high-quality theatre performances. In 2019 the programme was revamped in order to facilitate a wider range of art events in line with the interests of existing and potential audiences within the community.

During Phase 2 of our programme, our Cultural Hubs began to play a more fundamental part of venue programming in line with feedback from the community and a desire for Cultural Hubs to try a variety of creative activities. With support from East Durham Creates, the Cultural Hubs programme has played an important role in arts and creative activities being considered in the planning of activities hosted by each hub.

During 2019 the Cultural Hubs focused on developing their centres to deliver more tailored art events to suit their local communities. They brought a wide range of creative performances for communities to choose from, this included theatre performances, improv nights, dementia-friendly performances, outdoor events, ‘Go & See’ research trips as well as spoken word nights.

“Amazing show, fabulous cast. My 4 year old laughed out loud the whole time.

Audience member at Shotton Community Centre.

During lockdown, our Cultural Hubs programme, which normally oversees eight local community centres, adapted to allow their local communities to continue to access great art and culture. Examples ranged from creative packs thought up by artists being available to collect from their centres to workshops being delivered over the phone or through the post.

East Durham Creates then facilitated six small commissions designed and hosted by our Cultural Hubs network.  A longstanding strand of our delivery Cultural Hubs is community venues that continue to support a programme of arts and culture. These community spaces now see the value of arts and culture for their local communities and their knowledge of their localities ensures that delivery is shaped to best fit the community.

Prior to Covid-19 the Cultural Hubs primarily focused on programming regular performances within their centres but adapted to a new model of small commissions when lockdown hit, allowing them to design provisions that suited their localities needs and worked with the rest of their hubs delivery.

Going forward we now have eight Cultural Hubs venues so keep an eye out on our socials for more information.

Check out top tips for organising a cultural event for more information.

    Check out the Cultural Hubs near you via the links below:

    Blackhall Community Centre 

    Hesleden Rd, Blackhall Colliery, Hartlepool TS27 4LG

    Phone: 0191 586 7396

    The Greenhills Centre

    Wheatley Hill Community Centre, Stephen's Terrace, Wheatley Hill, Durham DH6 3JS

    Phone: 01429 820214 

    Heart on the Terrace 

    8 Wood's Terrace E, Murton, Seaham SR7 9AA

    Email: connect.murton@communitiesofhope.uk

     

     

    Shotton Community Hub

     Bridge Rd, Shotton Colliery, Durham DH6 2PQ

    Email: shottoncommunityhub@gmail.com

    Thornley Village Centre 

    High St, Thornley, Durham DH6 3EL

    Phone: 01429 824126