Museums Northumberland bait and The Bellwether Project
Museums Northumberland bait works in partnership to support more people in South East Northumberland to create and take part in inspiring and high-quality arts experiences. All projects aim to build a stronger future with the people who live here. Museums Northumberland bait is part of the Creative People and Places programme, initiated and funded by Arts Council England.
Our conversation was with Frances Arnold (Creative Producer) in 2021, updated by Rachel Adam (Project Director) in March 2022.
At the end of 2019 we ran public consultation sessions to find out what themes people wanted to explore through two creative commissions, delivered from 2020–2022. Care for the environment came through strongly and there was an open invitation for people to join a ‘decision making group’ to shape the project.
“it’s about caring for the environment through art, creativity and cultural activity”
During the first stages of the pandemic in 2020, group members worked online on some short research and development projects. One person who worked with a creative writer reflected on
“how important being able to write about her immediate environment in Northumberland was for her sense of connection with family members… and her personal wellbeing”.
Following an open call, at the beginning of 2021 the group selected visual artists INSTAR and in-depth collaboration on The Bellwether Project began. This involved on-line workshops, field trip visits to woods and beaches and the creation of artworks and zines that
“visually symbolise the link between environment, climate, culture and personal wellbeing.”
Working with Northumberland Recovery Partnership and Escape Family Support, in autumn 2021 more people joined the project. Five ‘teams’ created their own identities – “Rockpool Rebels, Forest Sprites, Sisters of the Strand and Wor Wood Warriors” – to develop designs for embroidered clothing patches. These will be sewn onto garments chosen by members of the group, who will then be photographed wearing their patches in a professional photoshoot in spring 2022.
The culmination of The Bellwether Project will be an exhibition showcasing all the environmental artwork created, including sketches, paintings, lino prints, creative writing and zines alongside the patches and photography.
In reflection conversations, the impact on wellbeing came through strongly and in this project, as well as across the Museums Northumberland bait programme, we are also using the Warwick and Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale to build a quantitative evidence base of impact.
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