1. The Commission

‘The Futures is Ours to Create’ is a programme that takes its slogan from a banner created by young people with artist Jamie Holman, part of NMN’s collections, echoing our previous projects engagement with young people across County Durham. This programme is about distributing power to young people locally to tell stories about their present context, their hopes for the future and things that matter to them, making a youth identity in County Durham that belongs to them and that goes beyond the well-known heritage of our place.

The Future is Ours to Create programme will engage young people with arts and culture that they are interested in, maybe even offering clear opportunities to young people to act in roles within the arts sector which supports early-career development such as young producers or young curators of work. This can be in any artform or event. We expect at least two pop-up events that will become the culmination of the work created and delivered by the young people.

2. Commission Budget

£20,000 in total.

We expect the artist or organisation to work with a minimum of two youth groups in County Durham, which can be from the following list of youth groups we have worked with; however, we welcome the opportunity to engage with new communities. 

• Dawdon Youth Hub/Leanne Kennedy Centre Youth Hub

• Trimdon Station Youth Work

• Stanley Young Person’s Group 

• TCR Hub Young Person’s Group

• The Activity Den

• Youth Print

The artist or organisation will deliver a minimum of 24 days’ worth of engagement/contact sessions with each of the local communities (based on 1 day a week/2 half-days) between December 2026 and August 2027. We expect sessions to be delivered in line with the AUE rate of pay.

The remaining budget should include travel, materials, planning/prep time, VAT, access costs and any other expenses as well as costs associated with the culmination event. For this project we expect a minimum of two pop-up deliverables that are led and ran by the youth programmes you engage with. This commission is not specific to any artform or expression, we encourage multidisciplinary work and approach when working with the young people to capture their interests. 

We would also expect commissioned artist(s) or organisation to factor in any community costs e.g room hire, food and energy bill contribution where applicable. 

No More Nowt will provide marketing and publicity support, as well as producing support for the overall project where needed. 

3. What We Want

Through this commission we hope to achieve:

• A residency with a strong connection to our communities, responding to everyday realities, places, people, histories and hopes. Specifically focusing on how we can enable young people to tell stories and create work influenced by their present experiences, growing up in the world today.

• An opportunity for local young people to engage with their locality, meet new people and be involved with cultural opportunities they may not have engaged with previously. Artists should also think about how work such as this can allow young people to imagine better futures, or futures where their lives involve arts and culture. 

• An innovative approach to working with communities; specifically young people and engaging them in cultural activities.

• Delivery of at least 24 sessions per group across two different communities. 

• Artists should consider how we can integrate paid work opportunities or examples of paid work for future young people/young producers.

• Delivery of at least two pop-up events, co-created with young people of County Durham.

We are open to artists at all stages of their careers including recent graduates and are always interested in applications from people who have connections to County Durham.

We are always interested in diversifying our artists, audience and participants in terms of gender, race, sexuality, lived experience and disability. 

4. Timeline

• Deadline for Submissions to be electronically emailed to hello@nomorenowt.org by 26th October 2026

• Shortlisted artists / organisations will be 9th November 2026

• Interviews w/c 16th November 2026

• Commission commences 1st December 2026

• Delivery of all outcomes should take place by August 2027

5. How To Apply

To apply please send the following in either:

1) a single PDF document or

2) a video or audio file sent via WeTransfer that should be a maximum of three minutes to hello@nomorenowt.org including the reference: “NMN The Future is Ours to Create”.

If you do not adhere to the guidance your application for the commission may not be considered. 

Please describe your idea and approach to this commission (max 1000 words) include the following:

• Your core artistic idea and how this idea demonstrates ambition and innovation using work with young people as a main focus 

• What artwork you might create as part of this commission;

• Please give a brief biography (max 200 words) of your work and for any other artists that will be involved with you in this commission.

• Please attach a proposed timeline (include the contact days with the participants, planning, evaluation and visits).

• Please attach a budget including contingency should delivery be required to change.

• Please confirm that you have Public Liability Insurance cover of up to £5 million.

• Please confirm that you have an up-to-date basic DBS. 

You can include images or video links with your response if relevant however please ensure these are selective.

Please also complete Equal Opportunities Form, using this link: 

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/NCH49J1Kxc

6. Use of AI

At No More Nowt, we are dedicated to the creation of art, and community arts-based practice that stems from human connections that we have nurtured over the past ten years. We believe in human creativity and collaboration, and this is at the heart of our decision making when commissioning artists and organisations. We are a programme that is steeped in working and connecting with people on the ground across County Durham

All applications we receive are read by our small but dedicated team and decided internally alongside our community panel. We rely on the strength of our team, not algorithms. In making your application, please describe in your own words your idea, reflection on your practice as an artist/organisation and your skills and experience. We understand that AI can be used as a tool to remove barriers and help with accessibility needs. However, applications that solely rely on AI, we feel, will not offer the best picture of you as an artist/organisation and will struggle to fully demonstrate understanding of this commission.

7. Selection

Through the application process, NMN will assess the following:

• Quality and ambition of the artistic approach

• Quality of approach to utilising socially engaged work with young people and your track record in this, particularly with audiences and participants who do not typically engage in this way.

• Feasibility, deliverability and value for money

Only shortlisted artists will be invited to interview however where possible feedback will be provided.

8. Contact Details

For further information, please contact No More Nowt. Email: hello@nomorenowt.org

9. About No More Nowt

No More Nowt works to engage local people in creative activities and grow cultural provision in ways that are sustainable and can last, focusing on parts of County Durham where involvement in creativity and culture is significantly below the national average and areas classed as ‘Left Behind’ Neighbourhoods. 

No More Nowt was founded in 2014 (formerly known as East Durham Creates) as one of Arts Council England’s 46 National Creative People & Places projects. In 2022 the programme became a countywide initiative, having worked solely in East Durham for the first 8 years. Co Durham Co Created. 

No More Nowt is an action research-based programme, encouraging communities to take risks, try something different and co-create a responsive cultural offer through this learning. Delivery ranges in scope and scale. By design NMN believe culture can and should happen in any space that matters to local people. 

Our work is made possible thanks to a network of Creative Champions, Cultural Hub leaders and creative practitioners and collaborators who share our mission that no one should be left behind by culture. 

To find our more explore more of the NMN website here; https://nomorenowt.org/ and check out our social media channels @nomorenowt