Skimstone Arts flies the flag for artistic activism. We encourage people to be inquisitive, to challenge norms, embrace differences, interrogate equality, discover new ways of seeing and to forge individual and collective meaning, and in doing so to connect to others.

We exist to support diverse artists, people and communities at risk of social isolation to create work with, for and about the world that matters to them.

We celebrated our tenth birthday in 2018 and became a registered charity in England in 2019 (1182284).

We create collaborative theatre, music and art with artists and researchers. We develop artistic practice with diverse individuals and communities to reflect challenges in society. We have embraced digital technology during the pandemic to make our events more inclusive and accessible to all members of the community. Our reputation and influence for inclusive artistic work with and for people in the most socially-vulnerable groups in the North East of England has also grown during the pandemic.

We originate important professional touring music and performance work inspired by societal challenges and themes - we contribute to the national debate on isolation and loneliness, on inclusion and identity, and mental health including dementia.

We work with our:

• Young Artists Collective (vulnerable young people aged 16-25 years) and their band Reality Boots
• The Sun and The Soul Company, Stockton (people of all ages with lived refugee and asylum seeker experience) and Stockton Commissioning Group, Stockton on Tees
• Byker Commissioning Group, (people facing poverty and isolation living in Byker Ward of Newcastle upon Tyne
• Other Youth Music funded organisations across the region
• Older people in day care and care home settings who produce high quality music performances and artworks and support with event management and production.