Difference North East are looking for Disabled zine makers, visual artists, and creative facilitators, based in the North East. We are creating a database of disabled creatives who can run creative workshops for young people: and we would love to hear from you.
Were you there in 1995?
Difference North East wants to hear from Disabled people who were alive in the North East during the 1990s, when the Disability Discrimination Act was passed.
We are building a Living Library: a digital archive of recorded stories, available online and in libraries across the North East.
To take part you need to be a Disabled person born before 1990, living or working in the North East, and a free member of Difference North East.
You decide what you share. Nothing goes live without your approval.
Callout closes Friday 26 June 2026.
Email bex@differencenortheast.org.uk and allison@differencenortheast.org.uk
Difference North East is looking for a Disabled researcher based in the North East to help uncover and preserve local disability history.
Working across 2026 and 2027, you’ll dig into archives held by local authorities and other institutions, exploring stories of figures like Mary Greaves, disability rights protests in the 1990s, and the history of workhouses and special schools in the region.
The role pays £275 per day for 10 days per year, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Grant.
Applications close midday 1st July 2026. Send a short expression of interest to bex@differencenortheast.org.uk and allison@differencenortheast.org.uk.
Were you there in 1995?
Difference North East wants to hear from Disabled people who were alive in the North East during the 1990s, when the Disability Discrimination Act was passed.
We are building a Living Library: a digital archive of recorded stories, available online and in libraries across the North East.
To take part you need to be a Disabled person born before 1990, living or working in the North East, and a free member of Difference North East.
You decide what you share. Nothing goes live without your approval.
Callout closes Friday 26 June 2026.
Email bex@differencenortheast.org.uk and allison@differencenortheast.org.uk
Disability History Month is coming back to the North East: and we’re looking for a disabled person to help make it happen.
This paid freelance role supports events, venues, artists, and communities to make sure Disability History Month is accessible, welcoming, and led by disabled people. You’ll work flexibly, mostly from home, with support and reasonable adjustments built in.
The role pays £275 per day and is open to disabled applicants living in the North East. Applications close 13 February.
👉 Read the full job description and apply now.
Disability History Month 2025 Across the North East: Across the month, we delivered a wide programme of activity spanning public events, creative workshops, exhibitions, training and institutional talks. These took place across the North East, including Hartlepool, Newcastle, Billingham and online, and involved disabled people, allies, cultural organisations and public-sector institutions.
Fix the Systems, Not the Rules
This week’s Budget affects disabled people across the North East. Some changes, like ending the two-child limit, could help families and lift children out of poverty. But many measures focus on more checks and assessments, not on fixing the barriers that make life hard. Disabled people need income security, accessible systems, and a say in decisions that impact them. Tougher rules do not make life better, fairer, well-funded systems do. Change happens when disabled people and allies speak up together. If you agree, join Difference North East and help push for real change.
Join us for a free talk with Claire Andrews from Difference North East this International Day of Disabled People. Learn about key moments in disability history, from banned sign language to protests that changed the law, and discover how the past shapes our future.
Wednesday 3 December 2025
1pm–3pm (Talk starts 1:15pm)
Billingham Library, TS23 2LN
Free – booking needed
Access: BSL, hearing loop, accessible toilets and parking.
Everyone welcome.
Book your free place and find the power in disability history.
Difference North East is a community of disabled people. We are able to run events and create safe, accessible spaces because many people and organisations support us.
DARK shared their zines with us, helping us bring more disabled voices into our work. Local businesses like Drake the Bookshop make it easy for people to donate books. Venues such as libraries, theatres, and galleries let us use their spaces for free. Other organisations fund access, including BSL interpreters, so everyone can join in.
This support helps disabled people come together, share experiences, and take part. Join us for free
Claiming the Normal: Everyday Lives Through the Lens of Kev Howard. The exhibition of portraits of Disabled people opened today in Newcastle Central Library- more details here!