Flying the (new) Flag was a new contemporary art/heritage project led by a volunteer
group called the Contemporary Art Volunteer Ambassadors (CAVA’s). It resulted in a new
artist designed flag created for the English Heritage site Prudhoe Castle in Northumberland,
resulting in a striking visual announcement of the Castle’s presence within the town and
countryside. The project was led by Arts&Heritage Associate Judith King.

The CAVA Collective was established in 2022, following completion of a Newcastle
University-led Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded research project
(Volunteer Voices) that presented heritage volunteers with a forum within which to discuss
their views on contemporary art and why and how it might contribute to the presentation
and re-presentation of British history within our heritage places. Many of the heritage
volunteers involved in the project had previously been asked to present contemporary
artwork in their place of volunteering and had felt ill equipped to answer questions from
visitors. The Newcastle University research project brought together artists, curators, and
heritage volunteers to exchange views, discuss artistic practice including art commissioning
processes and to exchange work/life experiences.

The value that volunteers bring to heritage places cannot be overstated. Enthusiastic,
knowledgeable and with considerable skills, these individuals bring history alive for national
and international visitors who visit our impressive collection of heritage sites. As
contemporary art in heritage programming has increased and more artists have been
invited to respond to our history, it is (and was) the heritage volunteers who largely have
the task of presenting the artist’s work. Whilst positioned at the forefront of visitor
interaction with these artworks, volunteers often felt underprepared for this interpretive
role and were not always sure themselves why the art was there.

The Newcastle University research project Volunteer Voices (2021) had five objectives:

• To address a gap in current heritage volunteer training
• To build volunteers’ confidence in presenting contemporary artworks to visitors
• To design, develop and test out a set of training activities and resources
• To initiate a new network of volunteer contemporary art ambassadors
• To create a model for future volunteer training within the heritage sector.

Through a series of workshops, discussion sessions, visits to artist studios and contemporary
art in heritage projects, the heritage volunteers became enthusiastic ambassadors for this
curatorial practice and formed a new group in 2022 called the Contemporary Art Volunteer
Ambassadors (now known as the CAVA Collective).

In 2026 curatorial support agency Arts&Heritage applied to the English Heritage Community
Connections Fund to support a new project that would put into practice the skills the CAVA
Collective had learnt through the previous research project. The A&H application was
successful and for the first time the CAVA group worked together to commission a new
artwork, writing an artist’s brief, circulating it to artists in the northern region and
eventually selecting an artist to design and make a new flag for this historic castle.

The Flying the (new) Flag project provided the CAVA group with a new focus and a
collective purpose, as well as hands-on experience of commissioning an artist. It also
enhanced their skills in researching the Prudhoe Castle site and its history and in thinking
about how best to communicate and interpret the contemporary significance of this
heritage within the local community.

During the project:

• The CAVA Collective wrote an artist’s brief, disseminated the brief and answered
  questions from artists about the opportunity and organised and participated in the
  selection process.
• Shortlisted from artist’s responses and managed the interview process.
• Supported the artist Barbara Ridley as she developed the design for the flag providing
  feedback on the flag design and negotiating between the English Heritage design and
  brand requirements.
• Led on a final workshop, open to all heritage volunteers within the region as well as
  curators and engagement co-ordinators.
• The flag has been viewed by commuters (the Castle can be viewed from the Tyne Valley
  trainline) visitors and Prudhoe residents resulting in an increased visual profile for
  English Heritage at Prudhoe Castle.
• A satellite public exhibition in Prudhoe Library was developed by the English Heritage
  Community Connections team and viewed by the library visitors and the local
  community.

The project was deemed a huge success and Barbara Ridley’s new flag is still flying at
Prudhoe Castle (July 2026).