The Great North Run Cultural Programme is an annual series of inspiring and unique artistic commissions which celebrate and respond to the world's largest half-marathon - its history and route, its spirit and recollection, the thousands of journeys and stories of those who take part.
Established in 2005 to celebrate the twenty fifth anniversary of the BUPA Great North Run, the Cultural Programme explores the unique partnership between art and sport. You can find out more about the individual artworks and exhibitions here.
The programme of new commissions and projects featured the first theatre show for families, 13.1, the first exhibition Hit The Ground, the first online project, Dry Run, which enabled viewers to trace the emotional and physical journeys of ten Bupa Great North Run participants, and the first interactive digital playground, Great Street Games, which linked Gateshead, Sunderland and Middlesbrough for a series of spectacular athletics games. With an artist talk and book launch, schools visits and artist interventions in papers and on billboards, there was plenty for everyone to see and enjoy. ANE carried out visitor surveys at multiple sites, and the research will feed into the development of future programmes.