Exciting Projects and Events Across the North East to Reflect on ‘Freedom’ 80 Years After WWII

Our Freedom: Then and Now is a new, UK-wide arts programme exploring what ‘freedom’ means to communities today, marking 80 years since VE/VJ Day.

Led by Future Arts Centres, the project brings together 60 arts centres, libraries, artists and local people to create meaningful events, exhibitions and performances across the country.

Inspired by Freedom Road, a specially commissioned poem by UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, the programme invites communities to reflect on freedom — past, present and future — during a time of political and social change.

The Future Arts Centres team said:

"In a time when headlines seem to focus on division... the idea of freedom can feel both urgent and contested. What does it mean to be free, together?

Through Our Freedom, we are working with arts centres, libraries and local people across the UK to ask those questions – to open spaces where stories can be heard and reflections shared. The arts offer connection, hope and possibility. Culture has a vital role. It can help us imagine different futures. Our Freedom is not about asserting one view... it’s about inviting many. Even in difficult times, the arts can help us imagine beyond what we assume is possible." 

Here in the North East, venues leading on projects at a local level include:

The Maltings (Berwick) Trust are putting on an exhibition of photography and artwork by Berwick Youth at The Straw Yard in Berwick from 6 - 9 November.  The work by the young people in the exhibition has also informed Our Light, Our Freedom a new contemporary neon sculptural installation for the Maltings Cinema at Berwick Barracks by artist April Key co-commissioned by The Maltings and Berwick Youth Project.

ARC Stockton has commissioned a live event featuring original work by participants from ARC’s creative classes, local refugees, and Full Circle, an award-winning company of learning-disabled theatre makers. Experience music, film, storytelling, drama, and movement on Tuesday 11 November at 8pm.

Rural Arts in Thirsk has partnered with a variety of community groups and military families for craftivism workshops exploring the theme of freedom, led by artist Adrian Riley. Their stories will feature in a short film by Nathan Towers, premiering at a community event in Bramble Woods, Catterick on Tuesday 11 November, before touring North Yorkshire as part of the ON Tour programme with the National Rural Touring Initiative.

North Tyneside Community Hubs and Libraries collected community responses on ‘freedom’ during a series of workshops, led by commissioned artist Amy Langdown. These responses were developed into an art installation, which will be unveiled at River to freedom; a community celebration, on Friday 14 November. The community-led event will include song, poetry and prose.

Arts Centre Washington are hosting two events. Spotlight Washington Open Exhibition showcases local artists’ creative responses to the theme of Freedom; the exhibition runs from 14 November – 20 December. Unbound: Our Freedom Cabaret is a vibrant, thought-provoking multimedia performance exploring what freedom means today created by the arts centre’s creative groups and will be performed on Saturday 15 November.

Queen’s Hall Arts Centre in Hexham has commissioned artist Emma Tominey to work with the RAF Spadeadam community on Freedom, Reframed, an Augmented Reality exhibition launching at a special event on Saturday 22 November. After the launch, Freedom, Reframed will be accessible for one year via a dedicated App, allowing visitors to explore the artworks digitally. Households in Hexham will also receive postcards featuring artwork to scan and access the exhibition online.

Gosforth Civic Theatre’s showcase, Freedom Moving, a platform that features work from learning disabled and autistic performers is part of the project. Taking place on Friday 28 November, Freedom Moving – Then & Now will use dance, physical theatre and song from Kari MacLeod and Sing United, to celebrate the history of Gosforth Civic Hall (a war memorial building transformed in to GCT in 2026) and the community’s journey of freedom, to honour its past heritage then and celebrate where we are now, informed by the local community. 

Led by Future Arts Centres, the programme is delivered in partnership with Libraries Connected and Open Eye Gallery, supported using public funding by UK Government through Arts Council England.

To find out more about Our Freedom: Now and Then and on all of the events taking place in your area, visit: ourfreedom.org.uk.