About Headway Arts

A pioneering multi-award winning company of creatives including artists who are neurodiverse and learning disabled.

We make art. All kinds of art.

Headway Arts is a national centre for arts & inclusion offering people from all backgrounds the chance to contribute to the cultural life of their communities and to release their full creative potential.

Co-founded in 1995 in Blyth, Northumberland, UK, by Frances Castle and Allie Walton-Robson, later joined by Paul Denton and a fantastic team including Associate Artists. Headway Arts are highly experienced co-creative producers making new, bold and original work, championing and creating opportunity for people who are underrepresented and supporting freelancers.

Headway Arts is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation and Winner of the North East Culture Awards 2022 for Best International Collaboration

Our ethos is to offer opportunities for people to realise their creative potential, take part in meaningful creative activity, train and gain recognition for their skills, and achieve their artistic and creative ambitions regardless of their background.

The Company promotes creative conversation and challenges preconceptions, strengthening relationships between different communities and cultures and advancing social change.

Headway Arts is the UK partner for ACCAC Global (Accessible Arts and Culture Global)

We work across all art forms, creating safe and supported environments where we all work in equity and contributions from all are encouraged, facilitated and celebrated. We value our diversity and support to ensure equity in our decision making.

Our inclusive team of artists are all highly experienced in our multi-award winning methodology we call ‘CoCreART’, and work in fully accessible ways to include all members of the community.

Evidence shows the arts are a powerful tool for wellbeing, self-development, for learning, and for raising awareness and aspiration. We co-create inspiring projects both large and small, exciting events, inclusive platforms and unique training opportunities.

We welcome artists from home and abroad and have trained many of the North East region’s socially engaged artists. We professionalise the work of learning disabled artists and our work is held up as an example of best practice locally, nationally and internationally.

Community Sparks is our work with our local communities.

Beautiful Difference is our programme of work for learning disabled people.

Creative Café is our programme of work bringing the wider community together.

The Old Church is our venue & programme supporting youth and community music events & workshops.

Something A Bit Different is our programme of visiting Theatre & Performances for families.

Recipes For Happiness is our programme supporting wellbeing and good mental health.

C4X explores training, mentoring and advice for emerging socially engaged artists.

Specialist Areas

Inclusive Working Practices
Access & Aesthetic in Performance
Creative Consultation
Engagement of Hard to Reach Groups
Applied Arts
Diversity & Inclusion
Large scale events
Pedagogical approaches
International Partnership working
Impact Measurement
Creative Learning, Training & Accreditation
Digital Access
Quality standards in Inclusive Practice

Creative Skill Areas

Drama/Theatre
Dance
Creative Arts
Events
Shadow Puppetry
Mask
Digital Media/Film
Circus
Sensory Environments
Banners
Textiles
Installations
Large Scale Processional Imagery
Visual Arts
Music & Soundscape
Printing

The Old Church

Headway Arts manages The Old Church, a much loved community venue for live music, performance and inclusion. It is a space that inspires creativity and innovation and contributes to the local community.

200 Capacity Venue
Studio & Rehearsal Spaces
Room Hire, Hot Desking & Shared Studio Areas
Exhibition & Gallery Space
Meeting & Conference Facilities
Creative Workspaces
Collaborative Working
Community Partnerships

Headway Arts supports:

Stars!
A programme for artists who are learning disabled/neurodiverse to learn drama, dance, circus and many other theatre skills.

Headway Arts Inclusive Dance Co
A producing company creating and performing original dance.

Headway Arts Inclusive Theatre Co
A ensemble of disabled and non-disabled artists working together on an equitable basis to create original and dynamic performance; creating an aesthetic which challenges audiences in a safe environment.

Star Gaze Free Press
A print-making social enterprise supporting mental health & wellbeing for adults with a learning disability, who are neurodiverse or have long-term illness. Artists create designs and print them onto goods which they sell at craft fairs and events across the North East.

Cirque de Spaghetti
A new inclusive circus company for Northumberland, performing street theatre at events across the region.

Blyth Culture Network
Blythfest Fringe Festival
A.R.T.S European Network
Come Together Northumberland

Additional info:

We’re based in Blyth, south east Northumberland, in The Old Church on Waterloo Road.

View our accounts on the Companies House website. Our company number is 3006904.

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The Company