WINNER: BRASS: Durham International Festival
IN 2010 Durham was once again bathed in the sound of brass during this popular summer festival.
Elite performers from more than 20 countries gathered in venues in Durham City and the wider county, as well as locations in Sunderland and Darlington.
The many highlights included the festival's opening weekend, Streets of Brass.
There were also performances by the Sunderland Symphony Orchestra, Maceo Parker and his band featuring Dennis Rollins, the James Taylor Quartet and Batucada Sound Machine and Jazzie B.
But the centrepiece of proceedings had to be The Miners' Hymn.
It was the culmination of a 12-month collaboration between American film-maker Bill Morrison and Icelandic musician and composer Jóhann Jóhannsson.
FINALIST: Durham Mysteries
THE revival of the Durham Mysteries – a contemporary play cycle based on the famous Biblical tales – resulted in a much-talked-about theatrical event, performed over three nights in May.
Performed at the Gala Theatre, Durham Cathedral and outdoor at The Sands, hundreds of people watched the adaptations by writers such as David Almond, Ellen and Fred Phethean, Ian McMillan and Judy Upton.
Hundreds of people from the local community were involved in the retelling of stories like Cain and Abel, Noah and the Fludd, The Crucifixion and The Nativity. Katie James, event organiser, said: "Durham Mysteries was an incredibly ambitious collaboration between Gala and Durham County Council’s Festival Team, so we’re delighted to have been nominated.
"In total nearly 1,000 people from across Durham and the wider region were involved in bringing the stories to life, from the festival office and professional event crew, to the creative, technical and front-of house team that make up Gala; the astonishing line-up of writers, directors and musicians and not least the amazing 500-strong cast of mostly amateur performers.
"It’s wonderful that everyone’s efforts have been recognised."
FINALIST: No Redemption Launch
THE launch of Keith Pattison’s book, No Redemption was always going to be out of the ordinary.
Having documented the miners’ strike in Easington Colliery more than 25 years before, the photographer had built up a haunting portfolio of images, which caught the eye of novelist David Peace, who travelled to the village to interview three people who had been caught up in the strike.
His verbatim conversations were published in the book and were performed at the launch event, which attracted more than 250 people to the community centre in Easington, by the author, together with North East actors Libby Davidson and Trevor Fox.
Meanwhile Sunderland up-and- comers Frankie and the Heartstrings, who used pictures from the book on their album cover, provided the soundtrack. Keith Pattison said: "I’m delighted the Easington launch of No Redemption has been shortlisted. It was an arts event and a true community event.
"I’m particularly happy that the people of Easington who are celebrated in No Redemption and who against all odds, supported themselves through a desperate time with dignity and courage, are given this recognition."