In partnership with Google Arts & Culture and OGRE Studio, Actual Reality is a people-powered experiment in bridging the “Digital Divide” across the county. Part community-generated artwork, part action research project and part DIY digital accelerator, it’s powered by easy-to-ignore communities with challenges around digital connectivity and opportunity through social, economic, health, age and geographic infrastructure challenges.

“We ended up talking a lot about play and nostalgia. I think that the term nostalgia is a way of belittling the pursuits of childhood, of belittling play in general. For it is through play that we imagine other worlds, other possibilities, other ways to be”.

Discover the work of the most recent ‘NMN Digital Test Commissions’ artists.

These commissions support creative practitioners to test and try digital approaches to their practice, particularly for artists who are participatory and socially engaged, collaborating with the communities of County Durham - Go BTS with artists; Beth Ross, Max Cooper-Clark, Meg McWilliam, Ruth Flowers and Izzy McLeod.

A contemporary response from artists and communities creatively engaging with Gordon Matta-Clark’s ‘FOOD’ work, which centred around a cafe space functioning as an artistic project, a commercial enterprise, and a meeting place for art and community.

A collaboration between Artist Narbi Price and Writer Mark Hudson exploring themes around the 1984 miners strike and its legacy in County Durham 40 years on.

Places were drastically different following the collapse of industry, hollowed of their identities, but despite such radical shifts they persevered and fought through - with historical and new stories to tell.

‘You Heard Us’ is a public art project led by Lizzie Klotz and Luca Rutherford, that demonstrates the power of community engagement and collaboration. Developed over an extended period of time, it involved more than 100 participants who contributed their voices, stories and energy. The project took place at two key locations: the Quaking Houses Community Centre and the Greenhills Centre in Wheatley Hill.

Immerse yourself in Andrew Wood’s ‘SeventyFiveThreads (ver 1.0)’ digital “game space” — Part of his NMN Digital Residency artwork reflecting on the realities and failed futures of the utopic aspirations of the new town of Peterlee as it reached it’s 75th birthday.

'A Seat At The Table’ is a theatre project inspired by and made with residents connected to the Community Hubs that sustain many neighbourhoods across County Durham. Through collaborative workshops and powerful performances, the project gives voice to the challenges and triumphs of these essential community spaces.

Led by artist Ruth Flowers and co-curated by Zarah Worth, Nana’s House celebrated the position of women in a town named after a man.

It wasn’t a gallery. It wasn’t a workshop programme. It wasn’t even an exhibition in the traditional sense. It was something else entirely - a public living room in Peterlee, a space to rest, remember, feel welcome and explore what happens when people are invited into a space to think about the older women in our lives.

In the heart of County Durham, a groundbreaking project is challenging societal perceptions and empowering marginalised young people from the Gypsy Roma Traveller (GRT) community and those being supported by detached youth work, to find their voices, work with artists and create their world.

A collaboration between artist Jamie Holman and young people across East Durham, exploring heritage and hope for the future of shared spaces.

Listen to ‘On And Off’ by Me Lost Me (Jayne Dent). A sonic collage of oral history recordings of Shotton Colliery ex-miner, Steven Maitland - a glorious track balancing pulsating beats, electronic instruments and vocals, reflecting stories of disorientating cycles of shift work in mining.

A digital residency reimagining the local sports heritage of Bishop Auckland Football Club, its influence on the history of the sport and its deep-rooted connection with the communities of South West Durham.

A magical, large-scale, participatory performance for Crimdon Dene, featuring songs, theatre, a live band and a huge community cast for hundreds of local people.