Animations inspired by the North Pennines mining heritage

North east artist, Robin Webb, led animation workshops for children during August 2025, bringing the North Pennines’ mining heritage to life through animated films. During the workshops, participants visited sites in Allenheads & Nenthead, recording images, video and sound to kindle their creativity and use in their animations.

Robin said: “I had such a good time working with some truly inspired young people who created wildly diverse films using stop-motion and digital animation techniques The Land of Lead & Silver is such an evocative title that stirs up the history and heritage of the region, giving it a romance that sparks the imagination. The children certainly came up with some exciting, insightful and strange stories that always had a vein of authenticity to them based on the histories and stories of mining in the North Pennines. Over the Nenthead200 event, animations were being created on site at Nenthead Mines and participants had a go at capturing sights and recording parts that the visitors thought were of interest around the mine. These contributions, along with the images, videos and sounds the young people made, were used in the film I’ve created that portrays the journey mining took in the region, from small finds in the streams and the land to digging into the earth, mechanisation and exploitation and, ultimately, to the people and their legacy in a Land of Lead and Silver.”

The stop-motion animations were created using photography, cut-outs, painting, found objects, fabric, clay, audio, and imagination and inspired by the places, memories, and landscape.

“I will take away with me the smiles from the children being so impressed with the animation process. Staff have been lovely with the kids, being on kids’ level. Lovely to see staff happy to support each child.” Parent of participant

The animation films are featured in the exhibition of community arts created through the Land of Lead and Silver project in 2025 at Bowlees Visitor Centre until 31 October 2025, and can be watched below.

The Land of Lead and Silver project is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players, and Historic England.