Blyth community invited to shape its future

As part of Northumberland County Council’s multi million-pound Energising Blyth programme, the local community is being invited to work with local artists at a series of creative events to help shape the town's cultural future.

The interactive events will run from February to September, and all have a creative theme such as printmaking, animation and photography. They have been developed and informed by cultural organisations across the town and are being hosted by art collective, PlaceCreate.

The first event called ‘Mapping the Future’ is made up of informal drop-in sessions that will see participants helping to create a new layered map of Blyth using local stories, knowledge and ideas that reflect Blyth’s unique character.

They are open to anyone in Blyth and are taking place at various times on Friday, 11th February and Saturday, 12th February at Market Place, Keel Row Shopping Centre and Ridley Park.

The project is part of the council’s £70 million ‘Energising Blyth’ programme to revitalise the town over the next five years delivering new jobs and learning opportunities and helping to drive the green energy revolution in the UK. The programme is supported by Northumberland County Council, and HM Government's Towns Fund.

Councillor Wojciech Ploszaj, Cabinet Member for Business, said: “It’s exciting times for Blyth and I hope that people will drop in to join us at these mapping events and future ones to share thoughts on the town, their experiences and what we could do in the future to make the town even better.

“Ideas generated at the events will directly inform the development of the regeneration programme in the town including the new culture centre and an exciting new programme featuring festivals, events and visual arts, celebrating Blyth’s unique culture and heritage.”

Alan Ferguson, Blyth Town Deal Board Chair and Owner of Fergusons Transport, said: “It's fantastic to see these events getting underway.  The community input will help us to deliver new projects over the next few years including culture, leisure, education and innovation projects to improve Blyth as a place to live, work and invest in.”

More public events will be announced later this year. The purpose of the events is to hear from the community about what it means to live, work, create and socialise in Blyth today as well as to work with artists to develop a creative, fun and engaging future for Blyth including festivals and events in the town.