United Kingdom –The Bowes Museum is excited to announce the 17 dynamic individuals selected to Durham Creative Community Fellows, a free and innovative learning experience for people driving positive change in County Durham through arts and culture projects. The programme is delivered in partnership with Derby Museums and the USA-based NAS. It is a component of the Into the Light Place Partnership Initiative in County Durham.
Durham Creative Community Fellows empowers artists, community organisers, administrators and creative entrepreneurs who are driving social and physical transformations in County Durham to develop their leadership skills and take their arts and culture projects to the next level. The fellowship’s nine-month journey includes a unique curriculum emphasising learning and growth, featuring monthly online meetups, online group sessions facilitated by leadership coaches, an in-person convening and more. Participants will also form a community of practice throughout the programme, drawing on their experiences to exchange knowledge, collaborate and hold each other accountable.
“We welcome this incredible group of arts and culture leaders into Durham Creative Community Fellows. The skills they will develop and the connections they will forge in this collaborative learning environment will be instrumental in their growth as changemakers,” said Hannah Fox, Executive Director of The Bowes Museum. “We look forward to the ways their work will enrich our community creativity and innovatively while helping shape the future of cultural engagement in County Durham.”
Durham Creative Community Fellows is a partnership between The Bowes Museum, NAS, a US-based organisation that builds and supports diverse communities of cultural leaders and Derby Museums. It is a strand of the Into the Light Place Partnership Initiative in County Durham, which aims to develop enduring growth in the county by nurturing talent, broadening access to creative education, enhancing skills, and facilitating engagement and connectivity over 2024-2027.
The Durham Creative Community Fellows curriculum was co-created by alumni of the successful UK Creative Community Fellows programme to ensure participants gain relevant and proven tools for advancing their projects. The programme’s teaching and facilitating team comprises artists, academics and creative leaders from across the globe.
The following fellows were selected for their exceptional creativity, commitment to community development, and potential to enact change in County Durham. Together they will build a community of practice that is strengthened by their broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and expertise.
- Niamh Barclay
- Danijel Borna Fiket
- Ruth Flowers
- Sarah Gent
- Lizzie Lovejoy
- Naomi Marklew
- Gillian O’Mara
- Hazel Oakes
- Rupert Philbrick
- Christine Powell
- Ellen Ranson Howarth
- Matthew Smith
- Jackie Stonehouse
- Rebecca Sullivan
- Eleanor Thirlway
- Sarah Wilson
- Zara Worth
Learn more about the Durham Creative Community Fellows at https://thebowesmuseum.org.uk/fellows.
