[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":578},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-once-upon-a-time-in-rotherham":3},{"title":4,"summary":5,"primaryImage":6,"heroImage":25,"heroTagline":38,"newsTags":39,"postDate":53,"location":54,"author":55,"authorLink":56,"intro":65,"slices5":71,"presentedBy":204,"partners":215,"withRelatedNews":220,"relatedNews":221,"tags":574,"id":576,"publishedDate":577},"Once upon a time in Rotherham","In this thought piece, Bev Ayre reflects on artistically directing the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture in Rotherham, and explores how the entire process was youth-led and informed by collaboration, resulting in a playful and vibrant spectacle.",{"dimensions":7,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":11,"id":12,"edit":13,"meta":18},{"width":8,"height":9},4000,3000,null,"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FafDFAcBOoF08xYHw_TheBirthdayParty!ChildrensCpaitalofCulture%2CSamMcQueen-120-.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=202%2C0%2C2667%2C2000&w=4000&h=3000","afDFAcBOoF08xYHw",{"x":14,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},202,0,1,"transparent",{"dimensions":19,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":22,"id":12,"edit":23},{"width":20,"height":21},1200,630,"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FafDFAcBOoF08xYHw_TheBirthdayParty!ChildrensCpaitalofCulture%2CSamMcQueen-120-.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C61%2C3000%2C1575&w=1200&h=630",{"x":15,"y":24,"zoom":16,"background":17},61,{"dimensions":26,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":28,"id":29,"edit":30,"portrait":33},{"width":8,"height":27},2850,"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FafDFMsBOoF08xYH3_TheBirthdayParty!ChildrensCpaitalofCulture%2CSamMcQueen-117-.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=91%2C0%2C2807%2C2000&w=4000&h=2850","afDFMsBOoF08xYH3",{"x":31,"y":15,"zoom":32,"background":17},91,1.0000062500390627,{"dimensions":34,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":35,"id":29,"edit":36},{"width":27,"height":8},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FafDFMsBOoF08xYH3_TheBirthdayParty!ChildrensCpaitalofCulture%2CSamMcQueen-117-.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=788%2C0%2C1425%2C2000&w=2850&h=4000",{"x":37,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},788,[],[40],{"newsTag":41},{"id":42,"type":43,"tags":44,"lang":45,"slug":46,"first_publication_date":47,"last_publication_date":47,"uid":46,"data":48,"link_type":50,"key":51,"isBroken":52},"ZICbOhAAACEAg-h0","newsTag",[],"en-gb","thoughts","2023-06-07T14:59:09+0000",{"title":49},"Thoughts","Document","c174ab50-7dfb-41a4-bf12-8946f0135a2c",false,"2026-04-28T23:00:00+0000","Rotherham, UK","Bev Ayre",{"id":57,"type":58,"tags":59,"lang":45,"slug":60,"first_publication_date":61,"last_publication_date":62,"uid":63,"link_type":50,"key":64,"isBroken":52},"ZKU5MhAAACAArhi-","team",[],"bev-ayre","2023-07-05T15:52:03+0000","2025-05-07T10:16:01+0000","senior-producer","c2536195-5385-4631-8b76-fd456805582b",[66],{"type":67,"text":68,"spans":69,"direction":70},"paragraph","Once upon a time in Rotherham, polar bears and giant tortoises roamed the town centre, a cheeky orangutan joked with passers-by, kangaroos and Herdwick sheep bounced and danced with shoppers and hundreds of school children learnt to sing Happy Birthday in two part harmony to a 30 foot baby called Charlie.",[],"ltr",[72,83,100,115,153,170,185],{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":75,"primary":76,"id":81,"slice_type":82,"slice_label":10},"default","initial",[],{"heading":10,"body":77},[78],{"type":67,"text":79,"spans":80,"direction":70},"Fire and light surrounded the Minster as the evening drew in and a main stage overflowed with Taylor Swift tributes, Hip Hop and Rap. Art works and soundscapes were exhibited and huge audience stood spellbound as a spectacular bedtime story was projected onto Charlie, accompanied by a cinematic musical score and pyrotechnics. A town centre, considered by many as a no go area on a Friday evening, came alive with 6,600 happy families as young people celebrated their achievements at the end of a brilliant Children’s Capital of Culture Year.",[],"text_block$9ba5e135-9844-4ee0-ae5f-a3fd028c1c7b","text_block",{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":84,"primary":85,"id":98,"slice_type":99,"slice_label":10},[],{"image":86,"caption":97},{"dimensions":87,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":89,"id":90,"edit":91,"portrait":93},{"width":8,"height":88},2000,"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FafDE3MBOoF08xYHr_TheBirthdayParty!ChildrensCpaitalofCulture%2CSamMcQueen-252-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=0,250,3000,1500&w=4000&h=2000","afDE3MBOoF08xYHr",{"x":15,"y":92,"zoom":16,"background":17},250,{"dimensions":94,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":95,"id":90,"edit":96},{"width":27,"height":8},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FafDE3MBOoF08xYHr_TheBirthdayParty!ChildrensCpaitalofCulture%2CSamMcQueen-252-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=788,0,1425,2000&w=2850&h=4000",{"x":37,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},"The Birthday Party! Childrens Cpaital of Culture, Sam McQueen","full_width_image_block$f5006bd5-764f-4677-af73-8fcb4742d5d0","full_width_image_block",{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":101,"primary":102,"id":114,"slice_type":82,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":10,"body":103},[104,107],{"type":67,"text":105,"spans":106,"direction":70},"As Artistic Directors of the event, our role was to collaborate with three young Assistant Creative Producers and a youth led programming panel to devise and craft this fitting finale.",[],{"type":67,"text":108,"spans":109,"direction":70},"We began with the premise of asking what the hopes and dreams might be for the thirteen babies born each day at Rotherham Maternity Partnership. Our Assistant Producers deployed artists and musicians James Brunt, Patrick Dineen, Caro C, Oneda and Walk the Plank’s Magpie Puppet The Collector to as diverse a group of young people across the town as possible. Working with over 10,000 young people in schools, community groups, colleges and youth clubs gathering content through four months of creative conversations.",[110],{"start":111,"end":112,"type":113},278,291,"em","text_block$d0c32de0-1727-478d-ac79-314284d3cb07",{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":116,"primary":150,"id":151,"slice_type":152,"slice_label":10},[117,123,130,136,143],{"image":118,"caption":97},{"dimensions":119,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":120,"id":12,"edit":121},{"width":8,"height":27},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FafDFAcBOoF08xYHw_TheBirthdayParty!ChildrensCpaitalofCulture%2CSamMcQueen-120-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=96,0,2807,2000&w=4000&h=2850",{"x":122,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},96,{"image":124,"caption":10},{"dimensions":125,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":126,"id":127,"edit":128},{"width":8,"height":27},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FafDFYsBOoF08xYH9_TheBirthdayParty!Children%27sCapitalofCulture%2CAbbieRose-15-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=0,4,4488,3198&w=4000&h=2850","afDFYsBOoF08xYH9",{"x":15,"y":129,"zoom":16,"background":17},4,{"image":131,"caption":97},{"dimensions":132,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":133,"id":134,"edit":135},{"width":8,"height":27},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FafDFPsBOoF08xYH5_TheBirthdayParty!ChildrensCpaitalofCulture%2CSamMcQueen-67-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=96,0,2807,2000&w=4000&h=2850","afDFPsBOoF08xYH5",{"x":122,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},{"image":137,"caption":10},{"dimensions":138,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":139,"id":140,"edit":141},{"width":8,"height":27},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FafDFf8BOoF08xYIB_TheBirthdayParty!Children%27sCapitalofCulture%2CAbbieRose-34-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=0,5,5227,3724&w=4000&h=2850","afDFf8BOoF08xYIB",{"x":15,"y":142,"zoom":16,"background":17},5,{"image":144,"caption":149},{"dimensions":145,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":146,"id":147,"edit":148},{"width":8,"height":27},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FafDFGsBOoF08xYHz_TheBirthdayParty!ChildrensCpaitalofCulture%2CSamMcQueen-131-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=96,0,2807,2000&w=4000&h=2850","afDFGsBOoF08xYHz",{"x":122,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},"The Birthday Party! Children's Capital of Culture, Sam McQueen",{},"image_carousel_block$ee1018ce-7e17-4ece-90b3-e9ee9a4ef449","image_carousel_block",{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":154,"primary":155,"id":169,"slice_type":82,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":10,"body":156},[157,160,163,166],{"type":67,"text":158,"spans":159,"direction":70},"Sessions in event planning and skills sharing took place at our Walk the Plank headquarters and in Rotherham. Puppeteering, special effects, choreography, creative writing, programming, diverse opinions and youth culture were discussed and shared over baked potatoes, and a mutual desire to deliver a day and night like Rotherham hadn’t seen before.",[],{"type":67,"text":161,"spans":162,"direction":70},"We met weekly with a commitment that no creative decisions would be made without the input or approval of the assistant producers and the youth programme panel. A truly collaborative approach which was a joy to participate in.",[],{"type":67,"text":164,"spans":165,"direction":70},"On the day, as we watched the town filling with young people and families, Grace one of our Assistant producers joked that there was a forty two year age gap between the oldest and youngest member of the producing team. And we both agreed that the event and the process had been so much the richer for it.",[],{"type":67,"text":167,"spans":168,"direction":70},"Most importantly was the true sense of ownership the young people of Rotherham had for their finale – a spectacular event that we were privileged to have supported. We are now looking forward to seeing the legacy of this incredible year and where our young producers go next.",[],"text_block$bf4eabe2-ee46-4cde-9388-e0a294091096",{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":171,"primary":172,"id":184,"slice_type":99,"slice_label":10},[],{"image":173,"caption":149},{"dimensions":174,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":175,"id":176,"edit":177,"portrait":179},{"width":8,"height":88},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002Faeo7esBOoF08xQVC_Image-541.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C189%2C4894%2C2447&w=4000&h=2000","aeo7esBOoF08xQVC",{"x":15,"y":178,"zoom":16,"background":17},189,{"dimensions":180,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":181,"id":176,"edit":182},{"width":27,"height":8},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002Faeo7esBOoF08xQVC_Image-541.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=1002%2C0%2C2491%2C3496&w=2850&h=4000",{"x":183,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},1002,"full_width_image_block$eb7a43bc-17f3-44c3-8c45-58ab5150d549",{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":186,"primary":187,"id":203,"slice_type":82,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":188,"body":189},"The Birthday Party, Children's Capital of Culture",[190,193],{"type":67,"text":191,"spans":192,"direction":70},"In 2025, Rotherham became the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture. In 2026, we produced the final celebration to honour this momentous status – throwing a huge Birthday Party!",[],{"type":67,"text":194,"spans":195,"direction":70},"Learn more about this huge celebration that took over Rotherham's city centre. ",[196],{"start":15,"end":197,"type":198,"data":199},77,"hyperlink",{"link_type":200,"url":201,"target":202},"Web","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.walktheplank.co.uk\u002Fprojects\u002Fthe-birthday-party-childrens-capital-of-culture-finale\u002F","_self","text_block$de64e1c4-6fd8-4888-b2bb-8dd16397605d",[205],{"link":206,"label":10,"logo":207},{"link_type":200},{"dimensions":208,"alt":211,"copyright":10,"url":212,"id":213,"edit":214},{"width":209,"height":210},300,194,"Children's Capital of Culture black and white logo","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002Fad5k351ZCF7ETL8B_CCOC_LOGO___black_on_white.png?auto=format,compress&rect=1,0,2334,1509&w=300&h=194","ad5k351ZCF7ETL8B",{"x":16,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},[216],{"link":217,"label":10,"logo":219},{"link_type":218},"Any",{},true,[222,352],{"id":223,"postDate":224,"type":225,"uid":226,"author":55,"presentedBy":227,"heroTagline":231,"authorLink":235,"slices5":238,"withRelatedNews":52,"title":298,"relatedNews":299,"primaryImage":317,"summary":330,"heroImage":331,"location":342,"partners":343,"newsTags":347},"aMrczBAAACUAt2bt","2025-10-28T00:00:00+0000","news","nothing-about-us-without-us",[228],{"link":229,"label":10,"logo":230},{"link_type":200},{},[232],{"type":67,"text":233,"spans":234,"direction":70},"Having produced ten inspiring events in Ashington over ten months, Bev reflects on the challenges, collaborations and moments of magic that made the programme a success. ",[],{"id":57,"type":58,"tags":236,"lang":45,"slug":60,"first_publication_date":61,"last_publication_date":62,"uid":63,"link_type":50,"key":237,"isBroken":52},[],"22fd28e4-9df5-4ee2-a7d7-7d49cbecc5cf",[239,250,278],{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":240,"primary":241,"id":249,"slice_type":82,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":10,"body":242},[243,246],{"type":67,"text":244,"spans":245,"direction":70},"\"Ashington stirred like never before, its streets were humming with anticipation, shopkeepers paused mid-trade, neighbours leaned out of their windows in awe of what was coming. In every conversation and curious footstep, you could feel the town itself reaching out to greet the artists who had arrived on its doorstep. From the first moment the team began the Toy Procession, they were met by warm smiles, car horns and enthusiastic waving. Local children followed on their bikes; café owners felt a sense of hope on the otherwise empty high street and community groups lined up to take part. It was as if the entire town had chosen Walk the Plank to deliver Animating Ashington, with a feeling of - “We’ve been waiting for you”.\"",[],{"type":67,"text":247,"spans":248,"direction":70},"So begins the formal evaluation written by Reemer Bailey, commissioner of an arts and cultural regeneration programme delivered by Walk the Plank on behalf of Northumberland Council and the Combined Authority. Our brief was to create a programme of events to raise awareness of forthcoming significant town centre regeneration, to drive footfall to the high street, increase spend and bring colour and excitement to the town. A town that has been systematically neglected and in decline for the past 40 years.",[],"text_block$181a9911-eb07-4387-a570-ff799b56715a",{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":251,"primary":252,"id":276,"slice_type":277,"slice_label":10},[],{"videoUrl":253,"caption":257},{"embed_url":254,"type":255,"version":256,"title":257,"author_name":258,"author_url":259,"provider_name":260,"provider_url":261,"thumbnail_url":262,"thumbnail_width":263,"thumbnail_height":264,"html":265,"is_plus":266,"account_type":267,"width":268,"height":269,"duration":270,"description":271,"thumbnail_url_with_play_button":272,"upload_date":273,"video_id":274,"uri":275},"https:\u002F\u002Fvimeo.com\u002F1130893714?fl=pl&fe=sh","video","1.0","Animating Ashington Programme","Walk the Plank","https:\u002F\u002Fvimeo.com\u002Fwalktheplank","Vimeo","https:\u002F\u002Fvimeo.com\u002F","https:\u002F\u002Fi.vimeocdn.com\u002Fvideo\u002F2074719447-2257b52ac639b0f8768f875648cf76d9ac551d540513350fa9df1dad0a52777d-d_295x166?region=us",295,166,"\u003Ciframe src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fplayer.vimeo.com\u002Fvideo\u002F1130893714?app_id=122963\" width=\"426\" height=\"240\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" title=\"Animating Ashington Programme\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>","0","pro",426,240,314,"","https:\u002F\u002Fi.vimeocdn.com\u002Ffilter\u002Foverlay?src0=https%3A%2F%2Fi.vimeocdn.com%2Fvideo%2F2074719447-2257b52ac639b0f8768f875648cf76d9ac551d540513350fa9df1dad0a52777d-d_295x166%3Fregion%3Dus&src1=http%3A%2F%2Ff.vimeocdn.com%2Fp%2Fimages%2Fcrawler_play.png","2025-10-27 08:52:19",1130893714,"\u002Fvideos\u002F1130893714","video_block$7179acbb-7783-48f2-b0fd-742093486278","video_block",{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":279,"primary":280,"id":297,"slice_type":82,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":10,"body":281},[282,285,288,291,294],{"type":67,"text":283,"spans":284,"direction":70},"It was on these neglected streets that Gareth, our Head of Production and I stood before the delivery of our first simple but joyous event. The culmination of a tortuous and drawn out tender process which had reduced the proposed delivery time from eighteen to ten months and required an ambitious ten events. We were both fearful that as outsiders, our team and programme may not be welcomed by a community previously starved of investment, marginalised and by many, written off. ",[],{"type":67,"text":286,"spans":287,"direction":70},"The empty high street, Station Road -ironically named as at the time of tendering no trains had visited Ashington for over 50 years, was almost devoid of useful retail outlets. Unless purchasing a second hand sewing machine, pet reptile, tattoo or Greggs sausage roll was on the shopping list. Although there was a local family butchers, newsagents and hardware store crying out for business and the adjacent street, Poundland Avenue, boasted a Weatherspoon’s and Asda. We realised immediately that merely driving footfall to the High Street would not meet anybody’s targets -12,000 audiences and £45 per head spend for the funders and bringing joy, civic pride and the health and wellbeing benefits to residents for us.",[],{"type":67,"text":289,"spans":290,"direction":70},"It seemed an almost impossible task in the limited timescale, given a community for whom it became clear would insist on an ethos of “nothing about us without us”. ",[],{"type":67,"text":292,"spans":293,"direction":70},"We spent the first 3 months embedding ourselves in the town. We met with key stakeholders, community groups and leaders, presenting and amending our ideas and developing a group of “positive friends” to act as a touchstone for programme development and community buy in. We gained the support of the Civic Lead, Head of the Miners Welfare Centre, Local MP, County and Town councillors, charities, youth providers, Head Teachers and College Principles. It felt at times, like a herculean task, a massive leap of faith in our creative programming, skilled event and production managers, marketing and delivery teams. But most of all in our “positive friends” and their ability to engage and include. But as Reemer Bailey summed up, it certainly paid off… ",[],{"type":67,"text":295,"spans":296,"direction":70},"“That first event in November 2024, on a cold, day, bathed in grey clouds felt almost mythical. With a single song, the air ignited, faces glowed, voices rose in cheers, and for the next 10 months Animating Ashington and Walk the Plank found not just an audience... but a family. Ashington didn’t merely host a series of events, it claimed them. Neighbours became collaborators, people became apprentices, and the town’s everyday places were transformed into spaces of wonder. “ And as for the funders targets, economic targets were achieved and an astonishing 30,000 people engaged. ",[],"text_block$9f4fb83a-2888-4d49-9e51-81555cb7d1ae","Nothing about us without us",[300,309],{"entry":301},{"id":302,"type":225,"tags":303,"lang":45,"slug":304,"first_publication_date":305,"last_publication_date":306,"uid":307,"link_type":50,"key":308,"isBroken":52},"aIdztBAAACMADlHR",[],"animating-communities-the-art-and-impact-of-choreography","2025-07-30T10:45:51+0000","2025-08-01T14:27:06+0000","animating-communities","77712655-c5d6-4447-9a3e-bda380a67360",{"entry":310},{"id":311,"type":225,"tags":312,"lang":45,"slug":313,"first_publication_date":314,"last_publication_date":315,"uid":313,"link_type":50,"key":316,"isBroken":52},"aFrHcBIAACYADjUr",[],"hope-and-celebration-in-a-time-of-uncertainty","2025-06-24T15:45:18+0000","2025-12-16T15:19:50+0000","711fd224-46bc-4067-ab8b-984f515a9685",{"dimensions":318,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":319,"id":320,"edit":321,"meta":325},{"width":8,"height":9},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FaP9oRrpReVYa3tIA_AnimatingAshington-ToyProcession-CallumThompsonPhotography-15-.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=1592%2C474%2C3956%2C2967&w=4000&h=3000","aP9oRrpReVYa3tIA",{"x":322,"y":323,"zoom":324,"background":17},1592,474,1.29,{"dimensions":326,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":327,"id":320,"edit":328},{"width":20,"height":21},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FaP9oRrpReVYa3tIA_AnimatingAshington-ToyProcession-CallumThompsonPhotography-15-.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C425%2C5741%2C3014&w=1200&h=630",{"x":15,"y":329,"zoom":16,"background":17},425,"Having produced ten inspiring events in Ashington over ten months, Producer Bev Ayre reflects on the challenges, collaborations and moments of magic that made the programme a success. ",{"dimensions":332,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":333,"id":334,"edit":335,"portrait":337},{"width":8,"height":27},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FaP9oa7pReVYa3tIO_AnimatingAshington-ToyProcession-CallumThompsonPhotography-105-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=225,0,6557,4672&w=4000&h=2850","aP9oa7pReVYa3tIO",{"x":336,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},225,{"dimensions":338,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":339,"id":334,"edit":340},{"width":27,"height":8},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FaP9oa7pReVYa3tIO_AnimatingAshington-ToyProcession-CallumThompsonPhotography-105-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=1840,0,3329,4672&w=2850&h=4000",{"x":341,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},1840,"Ashington, Northumberland, England",[344],{"link":345,"label":10,"logo":346},{"link_type":218},{},[348],{"newsTag":349},{"id":42,"type":43,"tags":350,"lang":45,"slug":46,"first_publication_date":47,"last_publication_date":47,"uid":46,"link_type":50,"key":351,"isBroken":52},[],"fe89e494-5c5b-4849-a87a-9935edc2348f",{"id":353,"postDate":354,"type":225,"uid":355,"presentedBy":356,"slices5":360,"intro":502,"withRelatedNews":220,"title":509,"relatedNews":510,"primaryImage":539,"summary":550,"heroImage":551,"location":560,"partners":561,"newsTags":565},"aSgtFxIAACMA6a92","2025-11-27T12:00:00+0000","mining-towns-creative-heartbeat-animating-ashington",[357],{"link":358,"label":10,"logo":359},{"link_type":200},{},[361,404,440,494],{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":362,"primary":363,"id":403,"slice_type":82,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":10,"body":364},[365,368,371,374,380,383,386,391,397,400],{"type":67,"text":366,"spans":367,"direction":70},"A new arts fund to support the local arts community, and an investment in arts-led events to bring the town together, are key parts of the legacy of Animating Ashington.",[],{"type":67,"text":369,"spans":370,"direction":70},"The year-long cultural programme in the former Northumberland mining town has changed its perception of itself, says organisers. Animating Ashington, which was funded by Northumberland Council and delivered by Walk the Plank, saw 10 events in the public realm run from November 2024 until summer 2025.",[],{"type":67,"text":372,"spans":373,"direction":70},"From a Toy Procession to a Feast of Fire, a major land-art commission by artist James Brunt in the public park, street art, theatre and performance, the streets and parks in Ashington became a landscape for free to access arts activity.",[],{"type":67,"text":375,"spans":376,"direction":70},"The cultural investment of £390,000, part of a £35m Regeneration Programme, was designed to engage with 12,000 residents and visitors in Ashington (just under half of the town’s 28k population), to bring a sense of civic pride and to deliver 10 events with “colour and excitement” to Ashington Town Centre.",[377],{"start":378,"end":379,"type":113},257,280,{"type":67,"text":381,"spans":382,"direction":70},"In numbers, hospitality venues reported a 15-20% trading increase on event days, and both rail travel and footfall saw an increase. Over 30,000 attended the events. For every £1 invested, it saw a £2.31 return in value.",[],{"type":67,"text":384,"spans":385,"direction":70},"Yet for organisers it was the impact on the town and its residents that has had a profound effect.",[],{"type":67,"text":387,"spans":388,"direction":70},"“This is the best thing that has ever happened in Ashington, in my entire life”, said one retired resident.",[389],{"start":15,"end":390,"type":113},79,{"type":67,"text":392,"spans":393,"direction":70},"In the 19th century, Ashington was dubbed “the world’s largest coal mining village,” built around the Grand Station Road shopping district and powered by the collective energy of local miners.",[394],{"start":395,"end":396,"type":113},42,83,{"type":67,"text":398,"spans":399,"direction":70},"The town’s rich industrial heritage, including the internationally renowned Pitmen Painters, gave way to economic hardship since the decline of the coal industry in the 1970s and 1980s. While major land reclamation projects, such as the creation of QEII Country Park and the establishment of Woodhorn Museum on a former pit site, have preserved critical aspects of Ashington’s history, the town centre has struggled with vacancy, underinvestment, and low footfall.",[],{"type":67,"text":401,"spans":402,"direction":70},"Ashington’s children live in a local authority where about 1 in 6 children are below the poverty line before housing costs. Over half of Ashington households experience at least one form of deprivation (e.g., low pay, long-term illness, overcrowding). The North East has some of the highest child-poverty rates in England (circa 31% after housing costs), driven by both high living costs and low regional wages.",[],"text_block$8fbd5156-ef3f-442d-9926-c3b2b84ffbe2",{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":405,"primary":438,"id":439,"slice_type":152,"slice_label":10},[406,414,422,430],{"image":407,"caption":10},{"dimensions":408,"alt":409,"copyright":10,"url":410,"id":411,"edit":412},{"width":8,"height":27},"A performer in a red top and green tutu dances down the street flanked by two performers dressed as Christmas Crackers","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FaBsnPydWJ-7kRsyZ_AnimatingAshington-ToyProcession-CallumThompsonPhotography-6-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=127,0,3683,2624&w=4000&h=2850","aBsnPydWJ-7kRsyZ",{"x":413,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},127,{"image":415,"caption":10},{"dimensions":416,"alt":417,"copyright":10,"url":418,"id":419,"edit":420},{"width":8,"height":27},"A pattern of concentric circles all containing symbols associated with Ashington, in white paint across a large field seen from above","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FaBsmoSdWJ-7kRsyG_AnimatingAshington%2CSeedingtheFuture%2CWalkthePlank%2CDroneStudioNorthEast-5-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=0,47,2500,1781&w=4000&h=2850","aBsmoSdWJ-7kRsyG",{"x":15,"y":421,"zoom":16,"background":17},47,{"image":423,"caption":10},{"dimensions":424,"alt":425,"copyright":10,"url":426,"id":427,"edit":428},{"width":8,"height":27},"A crowd of people walking in a procession through a park all carrying fire torches","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FaBslVidWJ-7kRswx_AnimatingAshington%2CPrideofAshingtonTorchlitParade%2CWalkthePlank%2CMarkSavage%2C2025-111-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=57,0,1686,1201&w=4000&h=2850","aBslVidWJ-7kRswx",{"x":429,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},57,{"image":431,"caption":10},{"dimensions":432,"alt":433,"copyright":10,"url":434,"id":435,"edit":436},{"width":8,"height":27},"A crowd of people walking through a metal archway that is lit with fire","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FaBsjQidWJ-7kRsva_IMG_5087.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=58,0,1684,1200&w=4000&h=2850","aBsjQidWJ-7kRsva",{"x":437,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},58,{},"image_carousel_block$4c9885ac-140c-4ad1-874a-076bf0676e26",{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":441,"primary":442,"id":493,"slice_type":82,"slice_label":10},[],{"heading":10,"body":443},[444,447,452,455,460,463,469,472,475,480,485,490],{"type":67,"text":445,"spans":446,"direction":70},"Bev Ayre is the Producer at Walk the Plank, who managed and delivered the ten events. Walk the Plank are the UK’s leading outdoor arts specialists with over 30 years of experience in pioneering creative placemaking.",[],{"type":67,"text":448,"spans":449,"direction":70},"“It was vital we put the art in the public realm. We proactively created theatre, performances, processions and workshops that made the audience participants, as opposed to passively watching.”",[450],{"start":15,"end":451,"type":113},193,{"type":67,"text":453,"spans":454,"direction":70},"Bev, who has worked in outdoor art and festival delivery across the North West and North of England, says it requires a different approach when you are working with a community that has lost a muscle memory when it comes to arts participation.",[],{"type":67,"text":456,"spans":457,"direction":70},"“In cities and large towns where there is regular arts activity, even if it reduces in volume, there is still a low level understanding of what your role as an audience member is. In Ashington, and in towns that have suffered from longstanding underinvestment, you lose that muscle memory, the confidence to be creative, to engage creatively and to be part of any arts activity isn’t taught, it isn’t instinctive. So you have to bring it to someone’s front door, you have to hold out your hand and invite them to get stuck in.”",[458],{"start":15,"end":459,"type":113},527,{"type":67,"text":461,"spans":462,"direction":70},"The free arts events ran alongside workshops, engagement programmes with local businesses and shoppers, and the development of a core 30 strong group of supporters in the town who shared news about the programme and encouraged people to get involved.",[],{"type":67,"text":464,"spans":465,"direction":70},"Art can have a real impact on a town. It can shape our sense of self and how we build a relationship with our past, present and future, says Bev. “We work with communities who think art isn’t for them. It isn’t that it isn’t accessible, it doesn’t exist. If we are going to make those communities who are under-served imagine a new future for their town, we need to go back to basics, and help them discover what art is and what it can do”.",[466],{"start":467,"end":468,"type":113},146,439,{"type":67,"text":470,"spans":471,"direction":70},"42% of expenditure was retained in Ashington and nearby communities through contracts with local artists, suppliers, caterers, accommodation providers and crew. This ensured that regeneration funding stayed within the local economy and aligned with HM Treasury’s Green Book principle of local additionality.",[],{"type":67,"text":473,"spans":474,"direction":70},"Caroline Ball is Councillor and Town Councillor for Ashington Central Ward.",[],{"type":67,"text":476,"spans":477,"direction":70},"\"It was fantastic to see world class cultural events in Ashington and I hope this is the start of many opportunities for the people of Ashington.",[478],{"start":15,"end":479,"type":113},145,{"type":67,"text":481,"spans":482,"direction":70},"Arts open up a world of opportunities and experiences beyond the everyday and walk the plank brought magic to everyone young and not so young from the town and it was a joy to see residents’ eyes light up when they seen a dancing robot on the main street, or drummers in the colliery rows and the excitement from school children who took part in the parades across the program.\"",[483],{"start":15,"end":484,"type":113},378,{"type":67,"text":486,"spans":487,"direction":70},"“This programme has marked an unprecedented outpouring of community development and support in Ashington for an incoming arts collective”, says a local artist.",[488],{"start":15,"end":489,"type":113},137,{"type":67,"text":491,"spans":492,"direction":70},"Ashington has brought in a town arts and culture fund to support local arts and community groups. It is also investing in a programme of smaller scale events, produced by local arts organisations, including a Christmas lights switch on.",[],"text_block$28fa26e4-b66b-445b-a731-ce3bec9ae0d7",{"variation":73,"version":74,"items":495,"primary":496,"id":501,"slice_type":277,"slice_label":10},[],{"videoUrl":497,"caption":257},{"embed_url":254,"type":255,"version":256,"title":257,"author_name":258,"author_url":259,"provider_name":260,"provider_url":261,"thumbnail_url":498,"thumbnail_width":263,"thumbnail_height":264,"html":265,"is_plus":266,"account_type":267,"width":268,"height":269,"duration":270,"description":499,"thumbnail_url_with_play_button":500,"upload_date":273,"video_id":274,"uri":275},"https:\u002F\u002Fi.vimeocdn.com\u002Fvideo\u002F2075291423-ee4a0ee3c9e39a23999d7de77a97ab28c5decf30ec5f7374a6df883a505d6c18-d_295x166?region=us","Animating Ashington is a cultural regeneration programme funded by UKSPF and NECA, delivered by Walk the Plank on behalf of Northumberland County Council, as part of a wider programme of town centre regeneration which includes the construction of a new cinema, train station and the opening of a new train service connecting Ashington to Newcastle.","https:\u002F\u002Fi.vimeocdn.com\u002Ffilter\u002Foverlay?src0=https%3A%2F%2Fi.vimeocdn.com%2Fvideo%2F2075291423-ee4a0ee3c9e39a23999d7de77a97ab28c5decf30ec5f7374a6df883a505d6c18-d_295x166%3Fregion%3Dus&src1=http%3A%2F%2Ff.vimeocdn.com%2Fp%2Fimages%2Fcrawler_play.png","video_block$88edda52-00b4-4986-bd02-8f1fe5f8e7d7",[503],{"type":67,"text":504,"spans":505,"direction":70},"Ashington will see more arts events in its future, as year long public art programme injects sense of pride in Northumberland town",[506],{"start":15,"end":507,"type":508},130,"strong","How Animating Ashington restarted a mining town’s creative heartbeat",[511,517,521,530],{"entry":512},{"id":223,"type":225,"tags":513,"lang":45,"slug":226,"first_publication_date":514,"last_publication_date":515,"uid":226,"link_type":50,"key":516,"isBroken":52},[],"2025-10-27T14:26:14+0000","2025-12-18T09:54:32+0000","880750bf-4c0d-40d7-b591-aed27ebd51e4",{"entry":518},{"id":311,"type":225,"tags":519,"lang":45,"slug":313,"first_publication_date":314,"last_publication_date":315,"uid":313,"link_type":50,"key":520,"isBroken":52},[],"89f782a8-3877-42f6-9649-5ae69dfa587b",{"entry":522},{"id":523,"type":225,"tags":524,"lang":45,"slug":525,"first_publication_date":526,"last_publication_date":527,"uid":528,"link_type":50,"key":529,"isBroken":52},"aKdHDhEAACoA-TBy",[],"alice--on-access-in-the-arts","2025-08-27T10:40:55+0000","2025-08-28T11:33:32+0000","access-in-the-outdoor-arts","9bc4a394-d652-45d7-a63b-c4687295d5c4",{"entry":531},{"id":532,"type":225,"tags":533,"lang":45,"slug":534,"first_publication_date":535,"last_publication_date":536,"uid":537,"link_type":50,"key":538,"isBroken":52},"aDXF3xAAACAAymzr",[],"tread-lightly---moving-towards-our-new-sustainability-action-plan-and-our-target-for-2025-and-2026","2025-05-27T14:02:10+0000","2025-05-29T10:07:39+0000","tread-lightly-sustainability","a19626f1-5460-4192-8cc9-3e5bdc3545b1",{"dimensions":540,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":541,"id":542,"edit":543,"meta":545},{"width":8,"height":9},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FaShIwnNYClf9niqW_114IMG_9570.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C0%2C3201%2C2401&w=4000&h=3000","aShIwnNYClf9niqW",{"x":15,"y":15,"zoom":544,"background":17},1.0001041341247525,{"dimensions":546,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":547,"id":542,"edit":548},{"width":20,"height":21},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FaShIwnNYClf9niqW_114IMG_9570.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C20%2C3600%2C1890&w=1200&h=630",{"x":15,"y":549,"zoom":16,"background":17},20,"Ashington will see more arts events in its future, as year long public art programme injects sense of pride in community.",{"dimensions":552,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":553,"id":542,"edit":554,"portrait":555},{"width":8,"height":27},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FaShIwnNYClf9niqW_114IMG_9570.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=0%2C0%2C3370%2C2401&w=4000&h=2850",{"x":15,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},{"dimensions":556,"alt":10,"copyright":10,"url":557,"id":542,"edit":558},{"width":27,"height":8},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.prismic.io\u002Fwalktheplank\u002FaShIwnNYClf9niqW_114IMG_9570.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&rect=969%2C0%2C1711%2C2401&w=2850&h=4000",{"x":559,"y":15,"zoom":16,"background":17},969,"Ashington, Northumberland",[562],{"link":563,"label":10,"logo":564},{"link_type":218},{},[566],{"newsTag":567},{"id":568,"type":43,"tags":569,"lang":45,"slug":570,"first_publication_date":571,"last_publication_date":571,"uid":572,"link_type":50,"key":573,"isBroken":52},"ZkNP1REAAGGCbnuR",[],"-","2024-05-14T11:49:44+0000","press-release","a4b3ffe3-8f41-4252-9852-57ea88d0ba68",[575],{"id":42,"postDate":47,"type":43,"uid":46,"title":49},"aeok_xAAACYAKNth","2026-04-28T14:53:15+0000",1785167632018]