No More Nowt

27/07/2026

📢 A REMINDER OF OUR CURRENT COMMISSIONS CLOSING SOON 👀 - x1 £20,000 and x5 £1,000 ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES.

Artists, creative collectives and permaculture practitioners - we have two fantastic opportunities to fund innovative. In order of closest application deadline, please consider if your practice could be a great connection with the following:

✊ 1. Owtside the Lines & Redefined: Radical Acts of Growth.

Applications close: Friday 31st July 2026, 5pm (this coming Friday) 🔔

Commission Value: £20,000 in total

We are looking to explore a programme of work where the main practices are growing, sharing food and permaculture in community hubs across County Durham. We are looking for a socially engaged artist where horticulture and permaculture is part of their practice.

This commission is inspired by the initial work in North Durham with Quaking Houses, where we hosted an R&D phase of this work. The main objective of this commission is to connect people within the community, specifically sanctuary seekers and resettled individuals and families connecting with the community centre. We want to explore how permaculture, growing and connection to the outdoors can enable communities to connect on a deeper level, and create stable, lasting connections with people and their locality.

By radical, we mean acts of social change, of resilience and resistance in the face of challenging times but the acts may be as small as a hot meal or a chat or as big as changing somebody's living circumstances for the better. This commission is all about shining a positive light.

📝 Head to our website for details and to apply 🔗 https://nomorenowt.org/news/commissions-closing-soon

✊ 2. Imagination Infrastructure Seed Commissions.

Applications close:‍ ‍Monday 3rd August 2026, 12pm midday.

Commission Value: Five commissions of £1,000 in total

At our 13th July Imagination Tour event, participants spent time imagining different futures, asking bold questions, sharing experiences and exploring what might become possible when creativity is placed alongside community organising, collective action and local leadership.

15/07/2026

14/07/2026

The £1,000 Imagination Infrastructure Seed Commissions are open for applications. 💭🔔

Together with our creative community, we've been spending time imagining different futures, asking bold questions, sharing experiences and exploring what might become possible when creativity is placed alongside community organising, collective action and local leadership ✊

🤔 Whilst events like this can be powerful catalysts, we are interested in what happens next...

💭 How do ideas move beyond conversations?

💭 How do moments of inspiration become practical experiments?

💭 How do artists and communities begin to test alternative ways of working, organising and creating change?

💸 To support this next stage, we are offering x5 £1,000 seed commissions that will enable individuals, groups and organisations to develop and test ideas emerging from the themes and conversations explored through the event.

🔗 READ MORE/APPLY > https://nomorenowt.org/opportunities-imagination-seed-commissions

🔍 These commissions are intentionally small.

🧪 They are intended to create space for experimentation and learning. We are interested in supporting people to trial an experiment in Imagination Practice. Imagination isn’t just about dreaming of different futures but can also about creating the conditions to explore them. Through these commissions we want to support practical acts of imagination that help people rehearse, test and experience alternatives in the present, here in County Durham.

🙌

09/07/2026

The £20,000 artist commission for ‘Radical Acts of Growth: Owtside the Lines & Redefined’ is OPEN for applications and enquiries until Friday 31st july.

Full details here: https://nomorenowt.org/opportunities-june-2026

Context:

In the past 5 years, communities have faced a pandemic, austerity and divisive politics that threaten to divide our communities. However, we strongly feel that County Durham has a tradition of rallying together in solidarity, compassion and support, particularly in dark times. We have a responsibility to offer respite, a space to heal or a place to support communities during these hard times.

No More Nowt is looking to explore a programme of work where the main practices are growing, sharing food and permaculture in community hubs across County Durham. We are looking for a socially engaged artist where horticulture and permaculture is part of their practice.

This commission is inspired by the initial work in North Durham with Quaking Houses, where we hosted an R&D phase of this work. The main objective of this commission is to connect people within the community, specifically sanctuary seekers and resettled individuals and families connecting with the community centre. We want to explore how permaculture, growing and connection to the outdoors can enable communities to connect on a deeper level, and create stable, lasting connections with people and their locality.

Timeline:

🗓️ Deadline for Submissions Friday 31st July, 5pm. Submissions to be electronically emailed to [email protected]

💬 Shortlisted artists / organisations will be interviewed week commencing 17th August 2026

🌱 Commission begins September 2026

🥣 Delivery of all outcomes should take place by April 2027

09/07/2026

🔔 GRAB THE LAST TICKET for the Durham stop of the IMAGINATION TOUR 👋 💭

🫵 JOIN US for the Durham stop in the IMAGINATION TOUR (we've released more tickets due to popular demand) 👀

🌱 Help us explore — What if Creativity Could be Used to Catalyse Social Change? 🤔

We’re inviting you to Redhills, the Pitmen's Parliament, for the County Durham stop on the York & North East Imagination Tour, with author and imagination activist

🔗 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/outside-the-lines-york-and-north-east-imagination-tour-tickets-1990166587838 (Free)

This is a day of immersive, participatory encounters bringing together place producers, artists, changemakers and community leaders from across the County, with a full day of talks, chances to explore Imagination Practice and a panel discussion.

Hosted by and in collaboration with the , this event creates space to sit with uncertainty and change whilst we explore imagination practice as a tool to create social change in the context of County Durham and our varied communities.

Through talks, workshops and creative experiences, we’ll ask bold “What if...?” questions about the futures we might still choose, shaped by care, justice and collective possibility. If Imagination Practice is something new to you, then this is the perfect introduction into how it can be used as a practical tool to help people unlock new ways of thinking, doing and seeing their world.

In the first half of the day, author and imagination activist Rob Hopkins will lead us in an exploration of imagination practice, before we break for lunch. We’ll then move into grounding imagination practice within our communities with the help of organisations like , and .workshop 🫶

The day will close with the launch of a number of 👀 seed project commissions 🌱 designed to kickstart imagination practice and the ability for communities to find imaginative ways of starting, developing and sustaining change in partnership with creatives.

11/06/2026

⏺️🎤 DJ & MC workshops for young people in SEAHAM:

Join DJ A.D.S .d.s_music and MC Fred for a chance to mix tunes, produce your own music or get on the mic.
BOOK NOW: There's just 10 places available so call or pop in to Eastlea Community Centre, Seaham, to book your/your young person's place on the project 👀👍

📲 Phone Eastlea Community Centre: 0191 581 2399

👀 WE’RE LOOKING FOR 10 YOUNG PEOPLE IN SEAHAM TO LEARN NEW DJ & MC SKILLS FROM
HIP HOP & SONGWRITING PROS.

🗓️ Weekly workshops will take place at Eastlea Community Centre, Stockton, Rd, Seaham SR7 8DX.

⚠️ Again, there are only 10 max spaces for these workshops so please book now to save your space.

More info:

Come along each week to either mix music on the decks, produce a song, dive into samples or get on the mic to practice your MC skills with some of North Easts most respected and connected musicians in this scene.

Sessions running: July 17, 14, 21, 28, August 1, 15, 22, September 29 andd October 6 - lots of sessions for young people to build their creative skills, scene and confidence.

04/06/2026

🌍DISCOVER ‘ACTUAL REALITY’, a people-powered experiment in bridging "Digital Divided” people, communities and places across County Durham.

'Actual Reality' is part community-generated artwork, part action research project and part DIY digital accelerator, working with easy-to-ignore communities experiencing challenges around digital connectivity and opportunity through inhibitors of socio-economic, health, age and geographic infrastructure realities.

➡️ If you have a relative or friend who has a computer or smartphone and might be a little lonely - or could do with discovering ways to connect with other people in their

community - or advice on how to stay safe online - then point them to the 'Durham Digital Voice - Your digital friend & guide' chatbot (via the Actual Reality webpage - LINK IN BIO 🔗)

You can also explore the radical, democratic ethos fuelling this evolving project - exploring what's happened so far and get a hint as to where it's going next.

It's for anyone; young, old, rural or urban - from savvy tech heads - to the otherwise digitally unheard or frustrated segments of County Durham’s diverse geographic demographic.

The aim is to inspire and empower these groups to engage creatively across digital spaces new to them, that can enhance access to culture where and how they live in new and meaningful ways - whilst enjoying building our shared community in new spaces where real life and digital life comes together.

Actual Reality playfully explores the transformative potential for good through digital exploration with a place-making context.

The project is led by OGRE Studio and funded in partnership with Google Arts & Culture and Arts Council England.
studio , , & special thanks to @

/// More updates coming soon so if you're not already, follow .studio and to see us in your feed.

29/04/2026

📢 PEOPLE OF HORDEN - Tell your story! 💬 🙌

JOIN us for the 'Horden Storytelling Project' and get involved in a series of in-person and online community-led gatherings - bringing people together to share stories of your place and enjoy some food whilst exploring collective ideas of identity, hope and tell an unfolding story of Horden through creativity, reshaping narrative of our place.

First session:

📍 The Horden Centennial Centre (SR8 4LX)
📆 Thurs 7th May
🕦 4pm-7pm

🔗 GET INVOLVED HERE: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=DQSIkWdsW0yxEjajBLZtrQAAAAAAAAAAAAN__me3WPJUNTA0VlZTS0lOOTlSSDZFS0hBVTk2R0ZWQy4u&route=shorturl 👋

🤔 About the project:

The Horden Storytelling Project is a series of community-led workshops that will bring people together over food to share stories, explore creativity and challenge negative narratives about the village.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑👭👫👬 We are building a movement - a group of people who want to work together to build bridges and tell positive stories about Horden through creativity.

JOIN a series of community-led workshops running from late April - late July this year.

🫵 Who is it for?

✅ This is for people who care about Horden and want to tell a different story about it.

✅ For people who are tired of hearing the same negativity and want to challenge it.

✅ For people who believe in the village’s history, rooted in solidarity, collective challenges and liberation.

✅ For people who care about Horden and want to tell a different story about it.

✅ For people who want to work together, share their experiences, and use creativity to shape how Horden is seen - now and in the future.

JOIN US in a series of workshops and work together with local artists to tell better stories about Horden.

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Thanks to our project partners:

Horden Together, Golden Sankofa, Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the residents of Horden.

22/04/2026

Shout out to for a really great afternoon chatting for their new 'Spotlight' pod with 🎙️ in Collab with brilliant students from Durham Sixth Form Centre.

Our digital programme lead, Steven .studio was in great company with mural artist and conductor .

Thanks to for the photo 📸 and follow for updates for when the podcasts are live 🙌

14/04/2026

Get your self along to Thornley Village-centre for a mighty family adventure of HERE BE DRAGONS with Unfolding Theatre 🐉

✨ A magical story
✨ Dragons, adventure & imagination
✨ Perfect for ages 6–11 (siblings welcome!)
✨ Only 40 minutes — ideal for keeping little ones engaged

📍 Thornley Village Centre
🗓 Friday 17th April
⏰ 12 noon

💷 £2 per person (adults & children!)

Honestly… you’d struggle to get a snack for that price, never mind a full theatre experience 🎭

📩 Message Thornley Village-centre or Unfolding Theatre or pop into the centre to book