Historic England has announced funding for two community-focused cultural projects as part of the North Shields 800th anniversary celebrations.
Awarded to the Linskill Trust, the funding will support creative heritage initiatives delivered by established local organisations Globe Gallery and Helix Arts.
Both projects aim to help the local people taking part to learn more about the area’s history, develop skills and unleash their creative potential, and emerging local artists will be trained to work with heritage themes.
Globe Gallery – Harbutt’s Plasticine
A project led by Globe Gallery celebrates the legacy of William Harbutt, the North Shields-born inventor of Plasticine and a pioneer of creative education.
Artist Kitty McKay, known for her distinctive work, Painting with Plasticine, will collaborate with local community groups to explore Harbutt’s legacy and North Shields’ creative identity.
Participants will create Plasticine postcards and contribute personal stories about local landmarks, such as the lost Hawkeys Lane outdoor pool.
Their stories will be brought to life in a major installation due to open later in the year, including immersive video and sound elements developed in collaboration with a local videographer.
Born in 1844 in North Shields, William Harbutt played a vital role in shaping British art education and creative practice. He developed Plasticine as a non-drying modelling material for his students – an invention that went on to revolutionise the art world.
The Globe Gallery project is part of a wider “Threads of Time” programme which marks the gallery’s 30th anniversary with a series of artist residencies, exhibitions, and a commemorative publication featuring essays, images, and community testimonials
Helix Arts – Shiels’ Cultural Ambassadors
A separate project led by Helix Arts North Tyneside Cultural Education Partnership will work with young people in North Shields to create new artworks about their vision for the town’s future, informed by its past.
Shiels’ Cultural Ambassadors is a programme working with five local schools, each of which will be matched with a local artist. The schools taking part are:
- Percy Main Primary School
- Christchurch C of E Primary School
- Collingwood Primary School
- Spring Gardens Primary School
- St Thomas More Catholic High School
Artworks created by the young people will feature in an exhibition and celebration event later in the year to celebrate their vision for the future of North Shields.
The Shiels’ Cultural Ambassadors work forms part of a wider programme from Helix Arts, entitled “Invent your Future - Celebrating the Past and Future of North Shields”.
Historic England’s wider work in North Shields
The two new projects will contribute to the continued growth of the North Shields Cultural Quarter and build on the success of the North Shields High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ).
Funded by Historic England, the four-year HAZ was delivered between 2020 and 2024 and combined physical improvements, community and cultural activities to deliver lasting improvements to the town’s historic high street.
Historic England is also funding a separate project entitled “When the Boat Comes In” as part of the North Shields 800 celebrations. Centred on the North Shields Fish Quay, this project aims to uncover the rich heritage of the town’s fishing community.