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Blue Flag

Blue Flag

Inspiration Exploration

Inspiration Exploration is a creative partnership which brings together The Blyth Tall Ship and Headway Arts, two of Northumberland’s most visionary organisations.

Two hundred years ago The Williams was a tall ship built and owned by Captain William Smith, a man born and raised in Blyth. During a trading voyage he discovered Antarctica but was never credited with the discovery. The Williams Expedition aims to restore a working tall ship as the Williams II in Blyth, then to recreate the original expedition with a local crew sailing her south to Cape Horn and Antarctica 200 years after the original discovery.

Headway Arts create highly inclusive participatory projects which offer world-class opportunities for people to contribute to the cultural life of their communities. To help celebrate and champion this important local hero, Headway Arts have devised a comprehensive arts programme with The Blyth Tall Ship beginning Spring/Summer 2018 which creatively tells the Williams Story.

BLUE FLAG – 19 AUGUST 2018

On Sunday 19th August 2018 600 handmade blue flags were planted into the sand along the tideline of Blyth beach.

Hundreds of local people took part in creative community workshops over the summer to design and create their own flag using a printmaking technique known as cyanotype.

Blue Flag - Artist's Impression.
Allie’s artist’s impression of Blue Flag (this print is available to buy from Headway Arts!)

Event Gallery

Close up of Blue Flags.
Woman with toddler in a carrying backpack walk amongst the Blue Flag installation.
Close up of Blue Flag installation.
People walk amongst the Blue Flag installation.
Fran Castle and Allie Walton-Robson posed in front of the Blue Flag installation. They're holding a blue cloth which reads #GN18.
Blue Flag installation.
Looking up from the sand towards the tall Blue Flags flapping in the breeze.
Blue Flag installation casts shadows on the sand.
Several people walking along Blyth promenade looking towards the Blue Flag installation.
Two women pose in front of Blue Flag installation on the beach.
The tall ship Williams II is motoring into port as people watch from the beach.

Workshop Gallery

Group of people of various ages gathered around tables listening to instructions.
Feathers, wool, fluff and wallpaper positioned on cloth to form image of a lighthouse and waves.
Two small children and a woman crouched over cyanotype material in the sun.
Man removing buttons, stones and various small items from cyanotype cloth that has partially turned blue, but remains green where the small items were sitting.
Feathers, wool, fluff and wallpaper positioned on cloth to form image of a lighthouse and waves, sits on the ground outside. There's clingfilm over the top.
Large bundle of assembled flags made from cyanotype cloth attached to gardening canes.

View a selection of your photos and videos on Twitter:

Blue Flag was part of Great Northumberland – fun, free and family-friendly events across Northumberland.

Posted on May 3rd 2018

We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of all our funders which recently includes:

  • Architectural Heritage Fund
  • Arts Council England
  • Blyth Town Council
  • Community Foundation
  • Edward Gostling Foundation – RW Mann Trust – Shears Foundation
  • Erasmus+
  • Hadrian Trust – High Sheriff of Northumberland – Rothley Trust
  • Henry Smith
  • Heritage Fund
  • National Lottery Community Fund
  • North East Combined Authority
  • Northumberland County Council
  • Postcode Community Trust
  • Scope
  • Sir James Knott Trust
  • The 1989 Willan Trust – Wellesley Trust
  • the Coalfields Regeneration Trust
  • This project is part-funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund
  • This project is part-funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – North of Tyne Combined Authority