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Hamster on the Wheel

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Hamster on the Wheel

Between Jen, Emma (Light Up North) and me this week we have spoken to quite a few creatives who have roots here in the North and would love to move back up here, but daren't leave the South because of 'job opportunities', 'better prospects' and well just because they don't think 'us Northerners don't get it'.

...SO here's my theory - or my take on it -(here I go again...)

All images of Saltburn by the talented @heidiknightsphotography

If you do something good, I believe other people will follow. It's human nature.

Picture a hamster wheel, one hamster could pedal it round and drive it forward on his own. If his mate jumped on, that wheel would churn a little faster.

Then a third hamster jumps on, before you know it the wheel is practically spinning on it's own, and each little hamster has to scurry a little less to keep the wheel turning. Ok, metaphor over - you get it though right?

Momentum is GOOD.

If it is jumped on, it will increase.

If everyone looked at the poor little hamster (ok metaphor is still going-sorry) and thought, shit he's working hard over there, I won't bother, instead I'll go hit that wheel down south where loads of hamsters are already running so I won't have to tread half as hard as I would in the North - then that little guy is gonna be on his own a while. And yeh this sounds morbid, but he might just burn out. But all it takes is a small circle of others to keep it going, raise the game...

...'pooof 'before you know it, every sheep (or hamster!) will want to be in that wheel.

Period.

It's human nature, we all want part of a good thing right?

I guess I feel like we can make what we have good, and I know I'm a dreamer, and Saltburn by the Sea will never be Portobello Road, or maybe not for a while at least, but it can be OUR version.

Our NORTHERN CHARM.

With qualities of it's own, earned in it's own right. Stuff that Portobello road will never have ( an amazing beach front and pier anyone?).

Be brave, jump on this wheel - we know good things are comin'...

Don't just take my word for it, you don't have to look far up here to see that great things are happening in the North. York, Manchester and Leeds are Northern cities thriving at the minute, Hartlepool is home to one of the UK's few remaining ART SCHOOLS in the country, CCAD, Wayne Hemmingway is a constant advocate for this region and his Festival of Making in Blackburn this May is set to bring creative manufacturing back to it's roots (6th and 7th May), 2017 City of Culture title is given to Hull, just 2 hours down the road...

and

HELLO...

two words...

ANT & DEC.

XOXO