Ensemble '84

Ensemble ’84, a groundbreaking new theatre company in Horden, County Durham, burst onto the scene with a stunning debut production of Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children, newly translated by Lee Hall and directed by Mark Dornford-May. It saw local recruits to the acting profession, chosen for paid training through open audition, perform alongside members of the celebrated Isango Ensemble from South Africa. Staged in Horden Methodist Church, company HQ, it garnered widespread acclaim and national media coverage. The production, recently revived at Live Theatre, was followed by Pits, People and Players, performed with equal verve by the County Durham actors alone.

Narbi Price

Artist Narbi Price continues to redefine how we see environment, history, and memory through his meticulous, research-driven practice. His project Going Back Brockens revisited the former mining community of Horden, unearthing layers of loss, labour, and lived experience within the landscape. His paintings portrayed former colliery sites as they stand today - silent spaces once central to working-class life, now reclaimed, repurposed, or left behind. Narbi’s commitment to painting sites shaped by labour, loss, and resilience makes his practice both vital and distinctive. Grounded in the North East yet nationally recognised, his work challenges how we record and remember our surroundings.

Ruth Raynor

Dr Ruth Raynor, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning at Newcastle University and co-founder of contemporary new writing theatre collective, Albatross, creates powerful, socially engaged work that listens as much as it speaks. Her play Grounded marked the fifth anniversary of Covid-19 with heart, humour, and live music-affirming life by confronting death. Developed over three years with people bereaved during the pandemic, the play transforms real testimonies into an exploration of love, loss, and solidarity. A sell-out success at Alphabetti Theatre, Grounded was praised for its honesty, tenderness, and innovation, offering audiences-many first-time theatre-goers-a space for remembrance, healing, and shared humanity.

The Young Producers

The Young Producers are a collective of 16-25-year-olds transforming museums and galleries across the Tees Valley. Working with teams in Hartlepool, Stockton, and Darlington, they design and deliver their own exhibitions and events - from silent discos and protest-themed shows to historical dress up photography events and international collaborations. Managing budgets and programming decisions, they’ve partnered with the British Museum and hosted a cultural exchange with Berlin’s Jugend Museum. Taking the lead in programming cultural events, Young Producers are breaking ground and shaping how museums engage with their communities.

Helen Green

Helen Green has been a driving force behind Sunderland’s cultural transformation. As Head of Performance at Sunderland Culture, she shaped an ambitious programme that brought world-class work and local talent together. Her final project before moving on, Public Record - created with the National Theatre’s Public Acts - was a joyous, large-scale celebration of Sunderland’s people and music, transforming The Fire Station into a live recording studio with over 100 community performers and professional artists. Typical of Helen’s bold vision and collaborative spirit, Public Record was a fitting finale to a tenure that has redefined what’s possible in the city’s creative landscape.

The Ballad of the Crocodile and the Underpass Project

The Ballad of the Crocodile and the Underpass was a community-led project celebrating 60 years of Washington New Town. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, it incorporated oral histories, music, art and digital storytelling. Residents shared memories of roundabouts, underpasses and the notorious concrete crocs which were turned into podcasts by sound designer Grace Stubbings with songs by Paige Temperley, David Brewis and young musicians. The project was delivered by Sunderland Culture at Arts Centre Washington along with Washington Heritage Partnership, We Make Culture and the University of Sunderland. It resulted in exhibitions, a publication, a banner and a celebratory event.

Ensemble '84

Ensemble ’84, a new theatre company based in Horden, County Durham, has made an immediate impact on stage – notably with its stunning premiere production of Mother Courage and Her Children, directed by company artistic director Mark Dornford-May – but also off stage, providing a route into professional theatre that once didn’t exist. The company has shown with its two shows so far, the second being Pits, People and Players, that there’s an abundance of talent across County Durham and an untapped audience for live theatre if it’s as compelling as that produced by Ensemble ’84 which Arts Council England has been proud to support.

Between the Tides Festival

The third iteration of Between the Tides, Redcar & Cleveland’s free festival for young people and families, took place in August in the grounds of Kirkleatham Museum which was given over to theatre, puppetry, circus, dance, storytelling and music. Once again designed and curated by young people from across the borough, it was a spectacularly colourful affair. Entertainment was provided by the likes of artist Umar Butt, Theatre Hullabaloo with The Giant’s Picnic and Tees Valley Dance. Many explored the Imagination Playground. More than 20,000 people attended and not all were from the local area, such was its pulling power.

Cap-a-Pie and various school partnerships

Newcastle theatre company Cap-a-Pie, through creative, participatory projects, enriches cultural and scientific education for children and encourages teachers to be creative in the classroom. Over the past year the company worked with eight schools and Newcastle and Durham universities. Its projects, developed with teachers, scientists and researchers, have inspired confidence, teamwork and a deeper understanding of curriculum topics. Coal & Climate explored our coal mining heritage and visions for a sustainable future, Marvellous Microbes brought science to life for young children through storytelling, music and movement while The Vanishing Act used cabaret-style theatre to explore insect decline.

Gosforth Civic Theatre

Gosforth Civic Theatre (GCT) is an independent arts venue and community hub created by and for people with learning disabilities. It opened in 2016 and is run by Liberdade Community Development Trust. Recently expanded and much improved, with a new energy-efficient heating system, it welcomes thousands of people annually to activities including theatre, live music, cinema, gigs, talks, festivals, workshops, summer schools, markets and community gatherings. Its café, GCT Kitchen, and licensed bar make it a place for conversation as well as creativity. One regular called it “a wonderful, creative and inclusive space in the heart of a local community”.

Navigator North, TransPennine Express and Middlesbrough Council

Most Creative Station was a programme of artist commissions at Middlesbrough Station delivered by artist-led organisation Navigator North, train operator TransPennine Express and Middlesbrough Council. More than 60 artists applied to animate the station and 12 applicants were chosen. Ten works by artists Emma Bennett, Catherine Bertola, Ed Carter, Nell Catchpole, Rachael Clewlow, Gareth Hudson & Toby Thirling, Beth Johnson, KEINO, Helen Pailing and Adam Shaw were displayed over 12 months. The partners worked closely and the project was so well received that TransPennine Express took ownership of three works which will remain at the station for the foreseeable future.

Micky Cochrane

Actor, singer and performer Micky Cochrane has delivered a remarkable year of stage performances across the North East. From his acclaimed turn in Carrying David at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal, to The Moth, The Cramlington Train Wreckers and Blitzen on the Tyne, Micky has demonstrated extraordinary range, depth and craft. His portrayals - whether a world-champion boxer, a tormented ex-soldier or a festive storyteller - combine emotional truth with magnetic stage presence. Deeply rooted in his Dunston upbringing, Micky’s performances honour the stories, humour and resilience of the region.

Ensemble '84 and Isango Ensemble: Mother Courage and Her Children

Ensemble ’84 and Isango Ensemble’s production of Mother Courage and Her Children - written by Bertolt Brecht, translated and adapted by Lee Hall, and directed by Mark Dornford-May - was a landmark moment for North East theatre. Staged in a reimagined Methodist church in Horden and recently enjoying a successful run at Live Theatre, Newcastle, the production united local raw talent with members of South Africa’s acclaimed Isango Ensemble. Earning rave reviews for its power, urgency, and emotional depth, it brought Brecht’s story of resilience and survival to life for a community that recognised its truth - proving that world-class theatre has a home in County Durham.

Professor Simon James

This year’s posthumous Culture Award honours Professor Simon James, a much-loved Durham University academic whose influence reached far beyond campus. Renowned internationally for his expertise on Victorian literature and H. G. Wells, he was equally cherished for his warmth, generosity, and unmistakable laughter. Simon shared his passion widely, from leading reading groups at Frankland Prison to shaping the Durham Book Festival with New Writing North. His commitment to young people was profound; he visited schools nationwide and led the Durham Commission on Creativity in Education, championing access to the arts for all. A dedicated supporter of theatre and regional culture, Simon gave endlessly and is deeply missed. This award is a fitting tribute.

Adam Collerton and Graham Anderson

The North East’s lively music scene owes much to the Jumpin’ Hot Club, founded in 1985 at Newcastle’s Bridge Hotel by Graham “Shippy” Anderson and Adam Collerton. Long before the MOBOs or Mercury Prize came to the region, the pair were championing “roots music” and bringing top blues, soul, jazz, reggae, rockabilly and country artists to local audiences. Over 40 years, they’ve built an international reputation for integrity, community spirit and artist-focused programming, expanding their reach through Northern Roots and shaping festivals from Evolution to SummerTyne. Their anniversary exhibition celebrated a legacy that has enriched the region’s cultural life. Their Culture Award for Outstanding Contribution is richly deserved.