A Co-Creation Project with schools to learn about working class histories in West Northumberland
Queen’s Hall Arts were successful in securing an Everyday Heritage grant from Historic England alongside additional funding from Ray Wind Funds to work with 12 of the schools in the Haydon Bridge Partnership on a project called Beneath Our Feet.
The aim of Beneath Our Feet was for children to co-create art about the working-class lives of people involved in the heavy industries of West Northumberland. We wanted to involve pupils and teachers in researching and creating artworks relating to the historical heavy industries that are no longer visible in those areas. We involved the schools in the artist recruitment to ensure that the whole project was co-created by the participants.
Timeline
April – November 2023
Project Partners
Artists
Calum Howard, Robin Webb, Becky May and Zoe Connell.
Project Coordinator
Debbie Beeks
Schools Involved
- Allendale Primary School
- Bellingham Primary School
- Bellingham Middle School
- Greenhaugh Primary School
- Greenhead CofE Primary School
- Henshaw CofE Primary School
- Kielder Primary School
- Newbrough Primary School
- Otterburn Primary School
- Shaftoe Trust Academy
- Wark CofE Primary School
- Whitfield CofE Primary School
Key Goals
- For children and young people to explore and know the working-class heritage of our rural landscape, specifically the historical heavy industries
- Children to have a deeper connection and sense of pride of their local heritage
- Teachers and students to gain experience in recruiting and working with professional artists
- Queen’s Hall Arts to trial an approach to co-creating an arts and heritage project across multiple schools
- To engage parents and the wider community in the project
The Inspiration
Children and teachers chose four artists to collaborate with to unearth stories linked to the mining and quarrying heritage of the area, including lead, coal and mineral mines. They explored the everyday lives of the workers and their families, as well as the impact of the industry on the region and beyond.
Each school researched the historically heavy industries in their area to find out about the people who worked there. In the first sessions, the children shared their research with the artist, and then through discussion, drawing, singing and drama workshops, the pupils began to co-create their artworks.
The project came about after a local Headteacher told us that the children in her school called the pit head wheel in their village ‘the bicycle wheel’. She said “Few of the pupils have any understanding of mining. It is the only visible relic of a local history that is disappearing rapidly.”
Outcomes
Co-creation as a working model
Beneath Our Feet was an action-research project to try a new way of working with schools using co-creation as a focus, where pupils and teachers help to shape the project from the beginning. Queen’s Hall Arts plan to use this model of working in our future projects with schools.
Collaborative learning
318 children took part directly in co-creating the project, the heritage research and the co-creation of art works.
Engaging the local community
12 schools held celebration assemblies to showcase the films about the project and the digital artworks with families and community guests e.g., local historians, ex-miners.
Continuing professional partnerships
One of the artist’s continued to work with one school as a result of the project.
Taking pride in our heritage
An exhibition of work took place at Queen’s Hall Arts Centre. This had an estimated footfall of 5000 visitors and very positive feedback.
Impact
Find Out More
Take a look at our projects and find out how to get involved!
