We produced Quilterlee, a participatory project led by Workish (Gabriel Gustard, Lily Arnold and Meghan Darby)

This project explored collective making, rest and everyday creativity, as part of the Place Lab Peterlee programme delivered by No More Nowt on behalf of the Into the Light programme.

Taking place over five days in Castle Dene Shopping Centre, the project invited people to co-create a quilt using found and donated fabrics. Each contribution carried a story, memory or personal connection to Peterlee, gradually building a shared document shaped by many hands.

The project deliberately moved at a slower pace than its surroundings, creating space for people to stop, sit and spend time together. There was no pressure to produce something polished or complete. Instead, the value was placed on the act of making itself, and the conversations and connections that emerged through it.

We supported the framing and positioning of Quilterlee within Place Lab Peterlee, helping to articulate the importance of process-led work that prioritises care and collective authorship. This included ensuring the project could be understood not just as an activity, but as a meaningful exploration of how creativity can exist within everyday environments.

Quilterlee demonstrated how simple, open-ended acts of making can create space for reflection, connection and shared ownership, particularly in places where people might not otherwise engage with cultural activity.

Phase two is coming soon.