Billingham International Folklore Festival has secured £30,000 to create a new theatre production bringing international dance, live music and storytelling together with moments from North East history.
The Arts Council England will support The Tapestry of Voices, which is due to be performed at Ushaw in County Durham on 28 November 2026 and ARC Stockton on 6 February 2027.
The production will explore migration, and the search for a better life. Its North East story will include the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the Durham Miners’ Gala and the Jarrow March, alongside Windrush and Irish migration and cultural celebrations including Diwali and Chinese New Year.
An accompanying creative programme will also take visual art, storytelling and theatre workshops into Billingham, Durham, Middlesbrough and Stockton, extending the project beyond the two performances.