The Bridge Centre for Visual Arts is a registered charity that provides local access to wet studio space, pottery kilns, a printing press, painting and digital media equipment and the expertise of a creative community of professional artists. Based in Darlington, the organisation grew out of a voluntary group of arts professionals who came together following the closure of Darlington Arts Centre. The Bridge has been running for 6 years and it also currently accommodates the Darlington Borough Council’s Community Arts Project for clients with learning disabilities. On becoming a charity we successfully negotiated a 25 year lease with Darlington Borough Council, the first five years being at a peppercorn rent so that they clearly have confidence in the sustainability of our future. It is situated in one of the 10% most deprived wards in the country and at the moment the Bridge is run by a group of volunteers, all of whom are committed and hardworking,
The Bridge has established a successful open access programme of arts courses (eg in painting, ceramics, photography, crafts) , exhibitions, workshops and events, designed to improve mental and physical health and well being, helping alleviate isolation for example, in the local community, as well providing a base for the visual arts in the Darlington area. Our clients are adults and come from all backgrounds and many have felt they have benefitted greatly from attending the courses, meeting other people and gaining much satisfaction from creating. Some have obtained jobs as a result and others have become volunteers.
