New programme in Teesside to tackle high levels of deprivation
A three-year investment will see creative play installations at family hubs
A new programme has been launched in Teesside to tackle high levels of deprivation and health inequalities in children.
A three-year investment of ÂŁ790,000 will see creative play installations at family hubs in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland.
It is hoped it will help babies and children with their development, as health experts say the first 1,000 days is the most important.
The 'Place to Play' initiative brings opportunities to 10,000s children and their grownups in Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland. Supported by National Lottery funding through Arts Council England’s Place Partnership programme, investment from Tees Valley Combined Authority and a grant from Borderlands Creative People and Places (CPP).
Bringing together a partnership involving Middlesbrough Borough Council, Redcar and Cleveland Council, Public Health South Tees, Teesside University, and Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust, Place to Play works with Family Hubs in communities experiencing high levels of deprivation and health inequality.
Running to spring 2027 the project will deliver inclusive Creative Play installations, artist-led participatory Make and Do programmes, and transformative Let’s Play play-on-prescription programmes in six communities where the needs of families are greatest.
The project responds to rising rates of post-natal depression and family poverty, and the recent claim by the First 1001 Days Movement that toddler development across the UK is in decline, creating a “ticking time bomb” for British society.
Research by York St John University and the British Academy has evidenced that Theatre Hullabaloo’s Creative Play programmes improve family wellbeing, accelerate childhood development, and strengthen community connections.
The first communities to benefit have been Park End in Middlesbrough and Skelton in Redcar & Cleveland where creative play installations - Dreamland and Fairytale Forest - opened as pilots in spring 2024, commissioned by Borderlands CPP and funded by Arts Council England.
Hullabaloo say these facilities, the first in the UK to be located in Family Hubs, have been a huge hit. Over 100 children and grownups a week have improved wellbeing and shared joyful smiles at the facilities so far. Now, thanks to the success of the pilot, Place to Play will expand dramatically to bring these benefits to 10,000s families in other communities in Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland over the next three years.
Place to Play will also stimulate the local economy, providing 6000 days of paid employment for local people and creatives artists, and give 50 people the chance to gain qualifications as Creative Play specialists. The project hopes to support health, local authority, and voluntary sector engagement with families, forging partnerships that sustain improved family outcomes over the long term.
Theatre Hullabaloo’s Chief Executive, Ben Dickenson, said: “Theatre Hullabaloo is incredibly proud to be leading the Place to Play project in South Tees. Play is the brain’s favourite way to learn, creative experiences can inspire positive change – together these things can transform the outcomes of children and grownups, making healthier, happier, stronger families. We can’t wait to see the positive changes this work will bring in communities that need it the most…or joy and wonder that will happen every time people engage with fantastic installations and brilliant creative activities.”
Jane Tarr, Director North, Arts Council England said, “The Place Partnership Fund is designed to help places make a step-change in the cultural and creative lives of the community and I’m delighted that Theatre Hullabaloo, in one of our Priority Places, has been awarded funding to work with local partners and families across South Tees to deliver the Place to Play project. We know how important creativity is to children’s development and wellbeing, so it’s great that this activity that will enable children and their families to access these fantastic creative experiences, wherever they live across the region and whatever their background.”
Commenting on the investment from Tees Valley Combined Authority, Alison Gwynn, Creative Economy Lead for the Tees Valley Business Board, said: "Our region has produced world-class creative talents over the years, and we're delighted the Combined Authority is backing Place to Play to help foster our creative future and give as many people as possible access to the arts. I'm looking forward to seeing it help families and artists alike."
Speaking of the benefits of the Place to Play programme for the health and wellbeing of communities Mark Adams, Joint Director of Public Health South Tees added: “Health Inequalities for many across South Tees start from conception, which is why supporting our parents in the first 1001 days is crucial. Creative play is the foundation of learning and development, and helping parents and carers to build great relationships with their young children will form a solid platform to support their child’s development and imagination. Working in partnership with Theatre Hullabaloo is a fantastic opportunity to bring Place to Play to our local families with the aim to improve health and wellbeing.”
Jamie Todd, Director of Operations and Transformation at Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust added: “Helping people to live their best lives remains our central ambition and vision, and in doing so we are aiming to improve the mental health and wellbeing of our populations, working with and through our communities that we serve. Place to Play will bring a suite of creative play offers to children in their early years and their families – this is a unique opportunity and one that directly supports our collective ambitions to improve the health and wellbeing of those that we serve.”
Laura Sillars, of the Centre for Culture and Creativity at Teesside University and Director of Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art also added: “Teesside University are thrilled to be part of the Place to Play partnership and we look forward to working collaboratively with Theatre Hullabaloo to support this programme for young people across the Tees Valley.”