Three wins for Ensemble ’84 at the North East Culture Awards

The North East Culture Awards are one of the main ways the North East of England marks the annual successes of cultural life. They bring together theatres, artists, community groups and organisations from across the North East to recognise work that makes a difference. 

At the 2025 awards, Ensemble ’84 won three awards. For a company that only began its work in 2024, that level of recognition says a great deal about what has been built in a short time and about the role it is now playing in County Durham.  

The first award was Newcomer of the Year. This recognises organisations that have made an immediate and lasting impression. Ensemble ’84 was acknowledged for establishing a company in Horden that is rooted in the place and open to the people of County Durham. By offering paid training, proper pathways into performance and the chance to be part of professional productions, we change things in a real and practical way because opportunities like this have been limited in the county.

By creating opportunities, we help build confidence and give people a sense that theatre is something they can be part of, not something that sits somewhere else.  Our first production, Mother Courage and Her Children, set that standard early on. Adapted by Lee Hall and performed in Horden, it showed what could be achieved with the right ambition and support. 

The production brought together our local ensemble members alongside international artists, creating work that felt both grounded in the area and outward-looking.  

The second award won was the Arts Council England Award. This focused on organisations that are widening access to culture and shifting who gets to take part. We were recognised here for building something that goes beyond a single production. The company is creating a structure where people can train, work, and develop over time. It is also helping to reshape how theatre is seen in County Durham. Theatre is being made here, with local people at its centre and at a level that stands alongside work in larger cities. That places County Durham in a different position, as a place where new work is being created and where talent can grow and stay.  

Productions such as Pits, People and Players have reinforced the connection to our home, showing that there is a strong local audience when stories reflect lived experience. The Arts Council award recognises that the approach we have taken is not just about access, but about building something that lasts.  

The third award was for Performance of the Year, given to Mother Courage and Her Children. This category recognises productions that stand out for their artistic quality and impact. The show, created in collaboration with Isango Ensemble, brought a global story into a local setting without losing any of its scale or power.

Adapted especially for us by Lee Hall, the show featured Paulina Malefane, an award-winning performer, in the title role, leading a cast that combined our newly trained ensemble with its South African sister, which is further along in its journey of international acclaim. Paulina’s performance anchored the production, while the ensemble work gave it energy and pace.  Staged at our home in Horden, the production demonstrated that work of this scale and quality can be produced in places often overlooked. It challenged assumptions about where theatre belongs and who it is for.