Two years inspiring creative connection along the Tyne Derwent Way

Elizabeth Kane , 10 April 2026 08:37

The end of March marked the completion of two years of the creative Riverside Routes x Tyne Derwent Way project. Gateshead Council's art development team creative producer Elizabeth Kane reflects on the difference it has made.

As we reach the end of our first two years of Riverside Routes, it feels right to reflect on the difference this programme has made and the impact this work has had. To help with this, I invited a range of artists who worked on the schools and community programme between 2024 and March 2026 to share their thoughts.

The short videos below detail some of the artists' thinking, creative processes, and experiences working with different audiences. We also undertook projects with XP School, The Comfrey Project, Art Diamonds and Gateshead Active Travel team, which are not included in these videos.

Benefits of the project

It's rare to revisit artists months after a project ends, but what is clear from doing so is that Riverside Routes has made a significant difference to many people. For example, schools have integrated elements of the project into their respective programmes of learning. Teachers have embraced outdoor learning, creative health, local heritage, wildlife, and new creative ideas and skills. Community groups have enjoyed reminiscing about Gateshead's past while celebrating what makes the area vibrant today. Together, these experiences have supported residents' creative wellbeing, deepened their connection to place, and strengthened local pride.

For artists, the opportunity to work in longer partnerships with dedicated community groups and committed schools means they did not have to decide in advance what the outcomes would be. Instead, they could embark on more equitable journeys of discovery with participants. It's powerful to hear how Riverside Routes x Tyne Derwent Way has inspired them to embed new ideas in their ongoing, socially engaged community practice.

Thank you to all the artists, schools and community groups who contributed to this impactful programme. And thank you to the additional schools and partners who took part in initial conversations to see if this work would be a good fit for their priorities.

Over the past two years, much of the work created has been shared publicly through the Tyne Derwent Way and Gateshead Council websites, case studies on the local cultural education partnership website (Shape), exhibitions at the Shape Youth Art Festival, and pop‑up exhibitions at Staiths Space, Gibside, and online.

Thank you!

We also acknowledge the extensive public programme creative produced by Jilly Hargreaves, which has reached the public, families and retired people along the nine-mile Tyne Derwent Way delivered by countless artists, designers and creatives - and the wonderful projects and volunteering opportunities crafted by our National Trust and Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust partners. Thanks too to our colleagues at Newcastle and Northumbria Universities for their own research and activity programmes.

What has been experienced and co-created will continue to enrich local people's lives through our collective voices, shared culture, inspiring heritage and varied landscape. It has been such a rewarding two years for all.

We're looking forward to carrying on our creative partnerships over the coming months.