Durham Creative Community Fellows

Join a free learning experience for leaders driving positive change in County Durham through arts and culture projects

Arts and culture are powerful forces in strengthening communities, but driving physical or social transformations can be daunting, difficult, and lonely. Durham Creative Community Fellows empowers artists, community organisers, administrators, and creative entrepreneurs to develop their leadership skills and take their arts and culture projects to the next level.

Join a free nine-month fellowship emphasising learning and growth through a unique curriculum featuring monthly online meetups, online group sessions facilitated by leadership coaches and an in-person convening in South Yorkshire. Form a community of practice with a cohort of cultural trailblazers, drawing on personal experiences to exchange knowledge, collaborate and hold each other accountable.

Durham Creative Community Fellows is a strand of the Into the Light partnership, a transformative three-year initiative with the aim to drive long-lasting growth in County Durham through cultivating talent, widening access to creative education, enhancing skills and breaking down barriers in the creative industries.

WHO SHOULD APPLY

You are

a creative change maker in your community. You’re an artist, community organiser, administrator or entrepreneur living or working in County Durham using arts and culture to drive equitable social or physical transformations in your world.

Durham Creative Community Fellows

You have

a good start, but want to take your project to the next level. You’re curious, collaborative, have an open mind and are determined to tackle the challenges ahead.

Durham Creative Community Fellows

You want

to join a community of practice and contribute your skills to learning and sharing with each other, all while gaining an understanding of strategy and leadership from an international teaching and facilitating team.

HOW TO APPLY

Complete a written application by 11 November 2024 and meet the eligibility requirements below:

  • You live in County Durham and/or your arts and culture project takes place in or involves the community in the region.
  • You are an an emerging or experienced artist, community organizer, administrator or entrepreneur leading a project that uses arts-based approaches to create positive change in your community
  • Your work involves community partners – other organisations or key individuals
  • Your project is in motion or has been tested and is ready to scale
  • You’re curious, open and collaborative
  • You want to join a community of practice that will hold you accountable
  • You’re ready to contribute your skills and take the time to apply what you learn

The written application provides space to share your project, the challenge it addresses, its goals, how you and your community are involved and more. You will also introduce yourself and what you hope to gain from the programme. Applications also have space to submit an optional short, informal video about yourself and your project.

 

 

Application Timeline:

  • Applications must be submitted by 11 November 2024
  • The Durham Creative Community Fellows admissions team will meet in December
  • Invitations to a final interview stage over Zoom will be sent out by late December
  • Interviews will take place mid-January
  • Invitations to join the cohort will be extended late January

PROGRAMME TIMELINE

Durham Creative Community Fellows’ unique curriculum was co-created by members of the UK Creative Community Fellows alumni community to ensure participants gain relevant and proven tools to advance their projects.

Welcome Party: 26 February 2025
Your journey begins with a virtual welcome party in February to meet the other members of your cohort and look at your goals.

 Online

Peer Exchange Groups: March 2025 – October 2025
Form small, intentionally curated groups of several other Fellows that meet monthly with skilled coach facilitators for five sessions. You’ll have the opportunity to set and achieve meaningful goals for yourself and your organisation, navigate challenges authentically, build deep connections and learn from your peers.

 Online

Jamouts: March – October 2025
Monthly online meetups to cultivate our community and learn from each other.

 Online

Creative Community House: 3 – 10 April 2025
Live and learn alongside your cohort at an incubator-like environment in South Yorkshire! Co-created by UK Creative Community Fellows alumni, the Creative Community House is designed to support and advance Fellows’ leadership skills while boosting their ability to lead change.

 In Person

Closing Event: 19 November 2025
Celebrate how far you’ve progressed your project and look towards the future.

 Online

INFORMATION SESSION

Sign up for an information session on Tuesday 22 October @ 3:00 PM for a walkthrough of the programme experience and application process, hear from a Creative Community Fellows alumni, join a Q&A and more!

 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• What does this programme cost?
Participation in Durham Creative Community Fellows is free thanks to the support of Arts Council England, Durham County Council, Durham University and UK Government.

• Who is delivering this programme?
Durham Creative Community Fellows is a partnership of The Bowes Museum, NAS and Derby Museums.

• How many people can be in the programme?
Twenty people will be selected to participate in the fellowship.

• Do you need to live in County Durham to participate?
No, however if you don’t, the arts and culture project you bring to the programme must take place in or involve the community in the region.

• I live in County Durham but my proposed project takes place elsewhere. Can I still apply?
Yes! If you live in County Durham but your project takes place outside the community you may still apply.

• What makes a good candidate for Durham Creative Community Fellows?
A good candidate for this programme is someone leading a project that uses an arts-based approach to drive change in their community. They’re curious, open and seek to both learn and share with their peers. They’re also someone who connects deeply with their community and has already formed partnerships within it. The candidate’s project should already be in motion or been tested on a small scale.

• Is Durham Creative Community Fellows specifically for younger or emerging leaders?
No. The programme is intergenerational. Participants in our other Creative Community Fellows programmes come with a range of ages and professional experience levels. The most important criteria is that your project has advanced beyond the idea stage.

• Will I have roommates at the Creative Community House in-person event?
Yes, Durham Creative Community Fellows is set up so that lodging during the Creative Community House is shared. Most participants tell us that this supports relationship building. However, we do our best to accommodate your needs.

BACKGROUND

Durham Creative Community Fellows is a strand of the Into the Light Place Partnership initiative in County Durham.

Into the Light is a transformative initiative from 2024 – 2027 to drive long-lasting growth in County Durham through cultivating talent, widening access to creative education, enhancing skills, and breaking down barriers in the creative industries.

Durham Creative Community Fellows is being delivered by The Bowes Museum, NAS and Derby Museums and is made possible by UK Shared Prosperity Funding.

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Partners & Funders

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