Horden bus stops transformed into pub, potting shed and tourist information centre as part of art scheme

By Madeleine Raine
Published 24th May 2024, 17:55 BST
Updated 29th May 2024, 12:07 BST
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Residents woke up to find that the bus stops along their main high street had been transformed into different rooms as part of a community art project.

Creative arts project No More Nowt transformed three bus stops in Horden, near Hartlepool, to celebrate the fifth anniversary of a 2019 creative arts scheme.

In 2019, No More Nowt, which was previously known as East Durham Creates, employed artists Sally Southern and Nicola Lynch, who live in Cullercoats, in Tyne and Wear, to work with older residents across East Durham to understand their upbringing and culture and to turn it into art.

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Their project If These Walls Could Talk was a one-day-only pop-up event that transformed five bus shelters on Sunderland Road, in Horden, into residents’ rooms.

This bus stop has been turned into a potting shed to show the importance of allotments - that Horden has an abundance of - in keeping older residents active and engaging with the community. Locals and people passing through were able to help themselves to free seedlings and plants.This bus stop has been turned into a potting shed to show the importance of allotments - that Horden has an abundance of - in keeping older residents active and engaging with the community. Locals and people passing through were able to help themselves to free seedlings and plants.
This bus stop has been turned into a potting shed to show the importance of allotments - that Horden has an abundance of - in keeping older residents active and engaging with the community. Locals and people passing through were able to help themselves to free seedlings and plants.

The work was such a success that something similar was designed for 2024 – with Sally and Nicola setting three bus stops up from 4am so that they would be ready for the public at 9am.

Sally said: “Horden needs a bit of positivity and something to feel proud of and this is an art project that gets people engaged and talking.”

On Friday, May 24, residents in Horden were able to enjoy a shandy and a performance from local singer Sharon Cardno at the “local pub”, help themselves to free plants and seedlings at the “potting shed” and stock up on Horden memorabilia including t-shirts, mugs and coasters at the “tourist information centre”.

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Speaking about the reasoning behind the potting shed bus stop, Sally said: “Gardening really helps people with their mental health and building a community for people who are a bit isolated.”

Horden residents shared their own experiences of going to the local pub, which artists Sally Southern and Nicola Lynch have tried to recreate here.Horden residents shared their own experiences of going to the local pub, which artists Sally Southern and Nicola Lynch have tried to recreate here.
Horden residents shared their own experiences of going to the local pub, which artists Sally Southern and Nicola Lynch have tried to recreate here.

No More Nowt tries to engage local people in creative activities and grow arts provisions in a sustainable way, focusing on parts of County Durham where involvement in creativity and culture is below the national average.

Speaking about Horden, Sally said: “Horden has got its problems but it has a lot going for it.”

She continued: “It’s the people that make it. People don’t see that.”

For more information about No More Nowt and to get involved in future projects, see https://nomorenowt.org/.

Related topics:ResidentsHartlepool

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