Community arts exploring the lead and silver mining heritage of the North Pennines

The Land of Lead and Silver project focuses on the lead and silver mining and processing of the North Pennines National Landscape and aims to develop new audiences to this mining heritage. Applications are now open for an artist-in-residence and three art bursaries for the community arts programme for 2026.

The artists appointed will offer workshops to engage people with the industrial heritage across the North Pennines National Landscape in creative and accessible ways. There are several priority themes that we are looking to explore through the 2026 community arts programme, these are:
• Improving wellbeing through the arts and heritage
• Reducing barriers to arts and heritage, including accessibility, rural poverty, and rural and social isolation
• Encouraging community identity through arts and heritage
• One landscape, how nature and heritage are connected, explored through the arts

There are two online Q&A sessions available for anyone interested in applying to the Land of Lead and Silver 2026 arts programme, the first on Friday 30 January from 2pm to 3.30pm, and the second also on Friday 30 January from 6pm to 7.30pm. If you would like to join either of the Q&A sessions, please email Rebecca to request the link.

The deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday 8 February 2026. Completed applications should be emailed to Rebecca.

Artist-in-residence

The artist-in-residence programme will last for six months based on a full-time residency, or 12 months on a part-time basis. The aim is to offer development opportunities to artists to explore new skills and/or improve existing skills through a perspective of cultural heritage. A secondary objective is to engage new audiences with the lead mining heritage of the North Pennines through inclusive and accessible arts activities.

The successful applicant will be required to create a minimum of one piece of art, or body of works, which explores and celebrates the local lead and silver mining heritage. The piece(s) of art can be of any medium but should be suitable for the North Pennines National Landscape team to use in interpretation work as part of the Land of Lead and Silver project, and in the future. Additionally, the successful artist will be required to undertake a minimum of six public engagement events within the residency, engaging a minimum total of 100 people.

Artist-in-residence brief and application form.

Artist bursaries

There are three artist bursaries available for 2026. The aim is to deliver a programme of inclusive and accessible arts activities which will enable people to get involved in the North Pennines lead and silver mining heritage. The focus of arts activities should be on the lead mining heritage of the North Pennines but how this is explored is left up to the artists.

Artists are invited to put forward applications that play to their strengths and preferences for engaging with local community audiences. Any artistic method will be considered including, but not limited to, writing, painting, music, drawing, textiles, etc. We are seeking artists/collectives who understand community engagement and are willing to engage an audience as well as delivering as activity/project.

A contribution to a public exhibition of the community arts project will also be required (this can be items created by participants, but the artist(s) is responsible for ensuring items are returned to participants following the exhibition).

Community arts bursaries brief and application form.