Gosforth Creative Hut

The environment

Our project supports the environment by embedding sustainability, care for materials, and connection to nature into how the HUT on the Green operates and delivers its activities. Many of our workshops and classes are materials-led, encouraging participants to understand where materials come from, how they are used, and how to work with them responsibly. This includes reusing offcuts, working with reclaimed and natural materials, and promoting a “make well, make it last” approach rather than fast or disposable making. The HUT itself supports low-impact, local engagement. By providing creative opportunities within the community, we reduce the need for people to travel further afield to access arts and learning experiences. We prioritise working with local artists, tutors and suppliers, keeping knowledge, skills and resources rooted locally.

The local economy

We work primarily with local artists, makers and tutors, paying them fairly to deliver workshops, classes and events at the HUT on the Green. This has created regular, paid opportunities for creative practitioners, helping them sustain their practice and build local audiences for their work. Where possible, we source materials, tools and services locally, supporting independent suppliers and small businesses rather than national chains. This ensures that project funding circulates within the local economy and strengthens nearby creative and trade networks. The HUT on the Green has also contributed to the area’s cultural offer, bringing people into the neighbourhood to attend classes and events. Many participants combine visits to the HUT with time spent in local cafés, shops and other nearby amenities, helping to increase footfall and economic activity. By offering accessible, community-based creative learning, the project has reduced barriers for people who might otherwise travel further or pay more to access similar opportunities. This keeps participation local while developing skills that some participants have gone on to use in further training, self-employment or creative work.

Volunteering, jobs & education

ur project increased opportunities for volunteering, learning and skills development through both the creation of the HUT on the Green and the activities delivered within it. Volunteers played an important role in the refurbishment and repair of the building, helping with practical tasks such as cleaning, decorating and making the space ready for public use. These volunteering opportunities allowed local people to contribute time and skills to a shared community asset, building a sense of ownership and pride in the space. We also provided two structured volunteering placements for young people completing their Duke of Edinburgh Award. These placements gave participants the chance to gain hands-on experience in a real community project, develop practical and organisational skills, and build confidence through responsibility and teamwork. Their involvement contributed directly to the day-to-day running and upkeep of the HUT. Beyond formal volunteering, the project supports education and informal learning through its programme of workshops and classes. Participants develop practical creative skills, learn from experienced tutors, and gain insight into creative pathways that may lead to further study, volunteering or employment.

Arts, culture & heritage

Through the HUT on the Green, we’ve delivered a diverse programme of arts and craft activity for people of all ages and abilities. This includes visual arts, printmaking, drawing, making, craft skills and creative writing — offering both entry points for beginners and progression opportunities for those wishing to develop their practice further. By removing barriers around confidence, cost and prior experience, we’ve helped make arts participation more inclusive and welcoming. We’ve supported local artists, makers and tutors to share their skills and knowledge, helping to sustain creative practice locally while passing on both traditional and contemporary techniques. This contributes to the preservation and evolution of craft and making skills, and keeps cultural knowledge active rather than static. The HUT has also become a place for cultural exchange and community connection, hosting exhibitions, classes and workshops, talks and events that bring people together around shared creative experiences. These activities enrich the local cultural offer and create opportunities for people to engage with the arts in informal, everyday ways. Heritage is reflected not only in outcomes, but in approach. Many workshops emphasise hand skills, material understanding and slow making, encouraging respect for process, tools and traditions while allowing space for experimentation and personal expression.

Activity, health and leisure

Our project promoted activity, health and leisure by providing regular, welcoming opportunities for people to get out of the house, spend time with others, and engage in meaningful creative activity. Through the programme at HUT on the Green, participants take part in hands-on, active making — drawing, printing, woodworking, craft and creative writing — all of which involve gentle physical movement, coordination and sustained focus. These activities support both physical engagement and mental wellbeing, particularly for people who may not feel drawn to traditional sports or fitness-based activities. The project has also encouraged social connection, which is a key contributor to wellbeing. By creating a friendly, informal atmosphere — with shared tables, conversation and mutual support — the HUT helps reduce isolation and builds routine and connection into people’s lives. For children and young people, sessions provide opportunities for active, screen-free leisure, supporting creativity, confidence and enjoyment through doing and making rather than passive consumption.