Share this page
As one of Northumberland’s leading cultural organisations, The Maltings has long been at the heart of creativity in Berwick-upon-Tweed - from theatre and cinema to visual arts and community engagement. We're delighted to have the Maltings on board The Big Draw Festival for another year - this year they're bringing people of all ages together through a series of inspiring workshops across Northumberland Libraries. We spoke with Lucy, Head of Creative Engagement, about The Maltings’ exciting plans for this year’s Festival, their commitment to creative learning, and how they’re keeping the arts alive and connected while their building undergoes redevelopment.
For those who might not be familiar, could you introduce The Maltings and the different kinds of work you do?
"We are one of the biggest cultural organisations in Northumberland and we deliver a year-round programme of visual arts, dance, music, drama, cinema and creative engagement for people of all ages – locals and visitors to Berwick upon Tweed. We are at a very exciting time in our history as our main building is undergoing a major redevelopment and we are partners in an ambitious project to re-animate the Berwick Barracks as a cultural and heritage centre for the region."
What is your role within the organisation?
"I am Head of Creative Engagement and I have worked for the Maltings in Community Engagement roles since 2021."
The Maltings’ programme is wonderfully varied - from cinema and live events to youth theatre, residencies, and visual arts at the Granary Gallery. How do all these strands come together to serve your community in Berwick?
"We work with a range of different touring, performing arts companies to programme work in Berwick – at the moment we are producing work in ‘pop-up’ venues in town as our theatre is closed. We have a new temporary cinema on the Barracks site – which is already a firm favourite with local audiences and we are delivering a major UK Government funded ACE Cultural Engagement programme, called Berwick Shines, with our Living Barracks partners. This work is artist led and there are a series of commissions and residencies with and for local communities and schools over the next year. Our Visual Arts programme presents exhibitions in both the Granary Gallery and the Gymnasium Gallery which are curated by our Head of Visual Art in partnership with galleries and collectors. All of these strands make up a diverse programme for our community which serves Berwick-upon-Tweed, North Northumberland and the Eastern Scottish Borders."
What did you get up to for last year’s Big Draw Festival? Were there any particular highlights?
"Last year we worked again with Northumberland Libraries and the artist Jyll Friggens ran a series of shadow puppetry workshops for families, based on Fairytales. One highlight was working with a group of women with English as an Additional Language (EAL) and seeing how the opportunity to take part in the workshop helped with language skills."
What inspired you to get involved again this year, and how does The Big Draw fit into your wider creative learning and engagement work?
"The Big Draw is a great fit for our programme as it enables us to be part of a national arts project and to work widely across Northumberland with artist led activities. This year we are working with Allanbank Arts from Berwickshire. We are developing our creative engagement offers for families so The Big Draw is a good fit for that strand of our programme."
Could you tell us a little more about your plans for this year's Big Draw Festival, and what participants can expect to get involved in?
"This year we are hosting three different workshops across five libraries in Northumberland.
"Our first workshop, “But Excuse me that is my book”, is based on the much-loved book by Lauren Child. The workshop, aimed at 3-8 year olds and their parents/carers, will involve storytelling, collage, minibeast drawing, and lots of fun!
"The second workshop, for 8-13-year-olds, is based on the environmental themes and accompanying illustrations in Katya Balen’s book “October, October”. Using simple printing techniques, we will work together to explore how to use images to tell a story.
"Finally, our workshop for teens and adults is inspired by the work of artist Jenny Holzer. Examining her work together, we will explore ways to give our words a big impact! (This workshop is also suitable for EAL participants.)"
The Maltings has a strong focus on creative learning, youth theatre, and community workshops. Why do you feel it is important to provide these opportunities?
"Creating opportunities for young people and people of all ages lies at the heart of our Creative Engagement programme. We believe that everyone can be creative and that this should be encouraged and supported by really great opportunities to work with artists across all artforms. With fewer opportunities for creative expression in the school curriculum it is even more important that young people can experience the joy and challenge of creating art, in safe and supported environments."
This year’s Big Draw Festival theme is Drawn Together, celebrating community, connection and collaboration. How does this theme resonate with the work you do at The Maltings?
"The theme does feel like a good one for us to connect with, especially while our building is closed. We are still trying to maintain a strong presence in the area and drawing people into projects that will build connections and celebrate creativity is a good way to show that our creative work can still continue – albeit in a range of different locations."
Do you have any advice for other organisations looking to organise their own Big Draw events?
"We have found working in partnership with the Northumberland Library service and running the Big Draw workshops in several libraries has been a really good way to reach local families, so I’d say consider partnership working if it is right for your context."
Looking ahead, are there any upcoming projects or exhibitions at The Maltings that you’re particularly excited about?
"As part of our Living Barrack’s Berwick Shines programme the Maltings is producing a major commission in Berwick with the Light and Sound artists Gareth Hudson and Toby Thirling, and the composer Eleanor Boehringer in February 2026. The winter sky will be light up over a period of 3 weeks and we are working with community choirs to create a beautiful soundscape to listen to while viewing the lights."
Thank you, Lucy!
To find out more about The Big Draw Festival and how you can get involved, click here.
