Creating a framework for the future – Arrow strengthens Northern Heartlands’ path to growth
Professor Simin Davoudi provided the academic expertise to help local community charity Northern Heartlands plan for the future
23 July 2026
Arrow is a bespoke innovation support programme piloted by Newcastle University and delivered in partnership with Durham University, Northumbria University and the University of Sunderland. The scheme overcomes known barriers to engagement with small businesses.
Based in County Durham, Northern Heartlands brings the creativity of artists, communities and partners together, through consultation, engagement, activity and events, to imagine new possibilities so that meaningful change can happen.
Run by a small team of three and with a recent change in leadership, Northern Heartlands is undergoing an iterative process of change and development focused on future strategy and how to extend its reach and impact. An email from Newcastle University about the Arrow project arrived at just the right time for Northern Heartlands as they were preparing for a transition in the leadership and embarking on the development of a new business plan for the organisation that also considered the financial implications of expanding into new markets.
The support from Arrow offered an opportunity to explore the organisation’s strategy and future direction more comprehensively, exploring new opportunities for commissions, collaborations and income diversification, backed up by research and evidence.
Northern Heartlands worked with Doctor Nicholas Cooke, Senior Innovation Associate at Arrow, and Professor Simin Davoudi, Professor of Town Planning at the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Newcastle University, who took a deep dive into the organisation’s service offer and how it could work in different contexts. Using place-based examples of similar services from around the country, as well as drawing on evidence of impact from Northern Heartlands’ own work, and synthesising valuable learning from a wide range of research reports, the Arrow study helped to create a framework for the future.
The study delivered a comprehensive and user-friendly report, with practical recommendations for developing new services, markets and partnerships. It has created a valuable tool and point of reference for Northern Heartlands as they continue to develop their business plan and identify where the organisation can add value to communities across County Durham.
Northern Heartlands is now building on the firm foundations of its past work to look ahead to the future, identifying new and different ways to build relationships, engage communities, and create positive change in rural, isolated and post-industrial areas where people’s voices are not always heard.
Arrow has simplified the process for SMEs to engage with leading North East Universities. It has increased collaboration across a range of HE research and innovation activities. The scheme levers the Universities expertise, assets, and resources. This helps businesses to accelerate their own development and commercialisation programmes.