Northumberland Tourism has identified a unique way to link it’s burgeoning creative arts sector to it’s every growing tourism offering. The Made in Northumberland Project (MiN) aims to encourage networking between local artists and the regions visitor attractions and accommodation providers. It is hoped that the project will allow visitors to experience & learn new art and craft skills for themselves and also be able to support local artists by making their work more easily available to purchase.

It looks as if Northumberland Tourism have spotted a growing trend at just the right time. Recent data from the market research organisation Mintel shows that 24% of tourists are now keen to learn a new skill on holiday. Based on current figures for visits to Northumberland this could equate to 2 million visitors looking for a unique learning experience whilst away from home.

The MiN project should allow Northumberland Accommodation providers to develop more craft based holiday options with local artists offering courses in skills such as pot-throwing & glasswork. These enhanced experiences add value and a unique spin to a providers holiday offering, helping them to stand out from the crowd. Whilst the artist also benefits from additional funding and increased exposure.

A series of workshops have been organised by MiN at three major visitor attractions during November. These workshops will explain how creative holidays can be arranged and will demonstrate what holiday makers can expect to gain from the experience. Those involved in local tourism will have the chance to sample the products and experiences for themselves which will help them to understand how best to market them to potential visitors.

In addition the work of local artists will be on display. It is hoped that more local artwork can be put into shops as MiN has identified a real hunger from visitors for genuine local souvenirs rather than the mass produced tourist tat that is prevalent in so many tourist resorts. For visitors that choose to stay in Northumberland Cottages the desire to get a real taste of local life is often very strong on their list of holiday expectations. Being able to take home a little slice of local culture gives them a memento they will enjoy for years to come.