Opportunities for artists to explore lead and silver mining heritage of the North Pennines

Our Land of Lead and Silver project focuses on the lead and silver mining and processing of the North Pennines and aims to develop new audiences to this mining heritage across the whole of the National Landscape area.

Artist-in-residence opportunity

We are seeking applications from individual artists to an artist-in-residence programme for 2025 which will engage new audiences in the lead and silver mining heritage of the North Pennines.

The artist-in-residence programme will last for six months based on a full-time residency, or 12 months on a part-time basis, during which a monthly bursary will be paid to cover living costs. The monthly bursary will be £1,750 for a full-time residency, or £875 for a part-time residency, totalling £10,500 across the duration of the residency. An additional £2,000 is available to cover the cost of materials for the duration of the programme. The timeline of the residency is flexible, although it is expected that it would begin by the end of March 2025. The residency can be attended remotely, as long as all activities take place face-to-face within the National Landscape area.

There are two online Q&A sessions available for anyone interested in applying to the 2025 community arts programme for the Land of Lead and Silver project, the first at 3pm on Wednesday 29 January and the second at 6pm on Thursday 30 January. If you would like to join either of the Q&A sessions, please email Rebecca to request the link.

Further details are available here. Please also read the guidelines for contractors and partners working with the North Pennines National Landscape team document here.

The deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday 9 February 2025. Applications should be emailed to Rebecca Cadbury-Simmons.

Artist bursaries

We are seeking proposals from individual artists or groups of artists for bursaries which will seek to engage new audiences in the lead mining heritage of the North Pennines.

The funding available for each bursary is up to £4,000. A minimum of three projects will be undertaken in 2024, the final number will be determined by the applications and the funding available. All activities relating to each project will need to be completed by Friday 26 September 2025, and the report submitted by Friday 31 October 2025.

There are two online Q&A sessions available for anyone interested in applying to the 2025 community arts programme for the Land of Lead and Silver project, the first at 3pm on Wednesday 29 January and the second at 6pm on Thursday 30 January. If you would like to join either of the Q&A sessions, please email Rebecca to request the link.

Further details are available here. Please also read the guidelines for contractors and partners working with the North Pennines National Landscape team document here.

The deadline for applications is midnight Sunday 9 February 2025. Applications should be emailed to Rebecca Cadbury-Simmons.

Artist can apply for both opportunities.

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