Changing Relations

Changing Relations We are an arts education and training company that provokes thinking around gender equality, gender

It was a theatrical weekend for Kate, our Artistic Director, and her daughter with our screening of A is for Amy on Satu...
11/03/2026

It was a theatrical weekend for Kate, our Artistic Director, and her daughter with our screening of A is for Amy on Saturday night followed by going north of the Tyne to see Workie Ticket Theatre's production of Deeds, Words and Danger. It was really enjoyable and a reminder of the amazing women that our world is built on. It was also lush to catch up with Ashlea Sanderson who directed it and who has also been working on the A is for Amy project with us. We're super lucky to have her.

Thanks so much to for featuring us on BBC Tees to speak about tomorrow's screening of A is for Amy at .The young people...
06/03/2026

Thanks so much to for featuring us on BBC Tees to speak about tomorrow's screening of A is for Amy at .

The young people from Creative Youth Opportunities were absolutely fantastic in explaining their understanding of the issue of teenage relationship abuse and we were so chuffed to hear lovely Val from one of our partner schools - King James I Academy in Bishop Auckland - share how A is for Amy has resulted in young people coming forward to make disclosures, meaning that staff can then act to put support in place.

You can have a little listen here - https://changingrelations.co.uk/a-is-for-amy-on-the-radio/

And if this tempts you to grab some last minute tickets, you can book them here - https://tickets.redhillsdurham.org/event/a-is-for-amy-film-premiere-and-qa/

Really really inspiring today to be at the North East Anti-Racism Coalition event at Durham Town Hall, encouraging us to...
04/03/2026

Really really inspiring today to be at the North East Anti-Racism Coalition event at Durham Town Hall, encouraging us to get behind the vision of a North East where diversity is celebrated and everyone feels safe and valued.

How lush for the event to begin with spoken word! Powerful, stirring and a perfect distillation and articulation of the key issues. We particularly loved the line "Strength is creating spaces where no-one has to shrink to survive." Thank you 👏

We heard from an excellent panel of speakers from a fantastic range of sectors - law, banking, utilities, voluntary sector - who talked about the need for inclusion to be the norm and flagged that you can't get diversity without inclusion - we need to proactively shift the privilege, ensuring that people from diverse backgrounds know that they would be welcomed in a workplace and that customers and clients of services feel represented in the staff they interface with, empowering them to engage.

We were deeply impressed by the radical empathy expressed by Daniel Nyandiya in a bid to meet people where they are, including engaging those whose behaviours appear to suggest racial exclusion with open questions, for instance around why they might have chosen to put up flags and what message that might be sending to different communities resident in the given area.

And we really appreciated Mohammed Roziur Rahman's tips on how we bring policies relating to the Equality Act to life in our organisations, including making small adjustments that significantly increase the confidence of staff members of different faiths to be themselves and a proactive effort to start conversations and create an environment where people feel comfortable speaking about who they are and what they need.

So what next?

The coalition have launched a campaign you can sign up to, to signal an active will to work against racism in our systems and culture - https://northeastantiracism.org.uk/become-the-bridge/



In the words of Nitin Shukla - inspired by the recent Holi festivities - "Let's colour our world not with prejudice and fear, but with courage, kindness and connection."

Bit of a site visit to this morning to get ourselves all organised for our screening this Saturday!Our Visual Arts a...
03/03/2026

Bit of a site visit to this morning to get ourselves all organised for our screening this Saturday!

Our Visual Arts and Culture students .vannah6412 and were absolutely loving the beautiful venue with individual wooden seats😊

And the lovely was calm and reassuring talking us through logistics and technicalities with her snazzy tablet 🤩

It's starting to feel exciting!!!

Have you got your tickets?!?!?

https://tickets.redhillsdurham.org/event/a-is-for-amy-film-premiere-and-qa/

There will be much talk about how to make the world a better place for women this week as we approach International Wome...
02/03/2026

There will be much talk about how to make the world a better place for women this week as we approach International Women’s Day.

I rather like Jeanette Winterson’s pithy two liner of a way to do this.

Over the years we have developed a list of “magic” ingredients for our projects.Things which we believe are critical to ...
25/02/2026

Over the years we have developed a list of “magic” ingredients for our projects.

Things which we believe are critical to our projects being able to make a difference in the world: and let’s be honest the whole point is to make a difference in the world 🌍🌏🌎.

✨Lived Experience

Working with people with lived experience is critical to ensuring that the final art works that are created are truthful and speak to the reality of people’s lives – making them more impactful and relatable for future audiences.

For participants it provides an opportunity for their perspectives to be heard and for them to contribute to making a positive difference – both of which can be critical in the face of experiences which can make someone feel silenced and powerless.

For audiences it encourages engagement with the art works and stimulates empathy.

✨Co-Production

Co-production demands and builds trust between collaborators enabling the knowledge, skills and experiences of all those who contribute to shape outputs to be the most truthful and highest quality that they can be.

✨Creativity

Creativity engages participants in a topic, supports building relationships and validates participant experience. It eases discussions about things people may feel uncomfortable discussing, facilitates the exploration of ideas and raises awareness and empathy in both participants and audiences.

✨Care

Care provides a framework in which lived experience, co-production and creativity can operate safely and effectively whilst modelling behaviours aligned with the change that Changing Relations’ projects aim to engender.

What are your thoughts? What are the magic ingredients in your work?

hereHas anyone been to see on the big screen?I'm kind of avoiding it on principle because the whole "one of the great...
20/02/2026

here

Has anyone been to see on the big screen?

I'm kind of avoiding it on principle because the whole "one of the greatest love stories of all time" production pitch makes me really uncomfortable.

I've seen posters with the tag line "Come Undone" as if the idea of a love that drives you mad is somehow romantic.

I know many column inches have been written on this. So I'll be concise in saying that, with the understanding of we have today, I think it is deeply irresponsible messaging.

It's a story of controlling, possessive, jealous behaviour, of threats of violence and actual violence.

Why anyone would want to associate this with love is beyond me.

How does a young person in a relationship that's becoming controlling recognise that as something they do not have to accept if we romanticise toxic relationship behaviours?

Our film, A is for Amy, also contains moments of possessive jealous behaviour, of Amy's boyfriend claiming "You make me do it" - the old love-drives-you-mad-and-you're-not-then-responsible-for-the-resulting-behaviour trope.

But we are NOT marketing it as a love story.

Young people who have seen it told us:

🚫 [I am going to stop] "ignoring red flags because ‘they love me’”

🚫 “[I feel] more confident that I can identify unhealthy behaviours and help myself and others.”

Teachers told us:

🚫 “Pupils spoke about how they had not realised that some of their behaviours displayed were abusive, but now they understand that they are.”

THIS is what we need our young people to understand.

So come to OUR premiere instead!!!

https://tickets.redhillsdurham.org/event/a-is-for-amy-film-premiere-and-qa/

Fab session with the girls from Creative Youth Opportunities planning the post film premiere Q&A for our screening in a ...
18/02/2026

Fab session with the girls from Creative Youth Opportunities planning the post film premiere Q&A for our screening in a couple of weeks.

They've tasked us with what they want to hear from writer-director , from one of our partner teachers at , and what they want to share themselves.

And when we asked how they felt about receiving unexpected questions if we open the floor to the audience, they shrugged, relaxed, no worries...

So get your tickets!

And get ready with some interesting questions for these awesome girls who are essentially up for whatever challenge we throw at them (next stop - academic conference - not even kidding - will update in due course - they are here for all of it) 💖

https://tickets.redhillsdurham.org/event/a-is-for-amy-film-premiere-and-qa/

Can't wait for our big screen premiere of A is for Amy at Redhills Durham.A is for Amy tells the story of teenage Amy wh...
16/02/2026

Can't wait for our big screen premiere of A is for Amy at Redhills Durham.

A is for Amy tells the story of teenage Amy whose boyfriend subjects her to domestic abuse and how, with the help of friends, a teacher and support services, manages to escape.

It has plenty of laughs as well as tears, deeply felt love as well as hurt.

It has been created with young people for young people and those who care for them - be that parents, teachers, carers, youth workers, grandparents, friends...

Feedback from the stage version of A is for Amy:

"Every teenager, their parents/carers and teachers should see it"

"I came away from the performance thinking to myself that every young person should be able to see something like this, and that there is probably no better way of making a young person aware of how an abusive relationship comes about. I actually wished id brought my own teenage daughter along and definitely would to future performances."

"It has made me feel more comfortable about helping people in a situation like this" - young person

Get your tickets here:
https://tickets.redhillsdurham.org/event/a-is-for-amy-film-premiere-and-qa/

This week has been We’ve reflected on:💔 the way in which mental health difficulties might present in young people💔 how ...
13/02/2026

This week has been

We’ve reflected on:

💔 the way in which mental health difficulties might present in young people

💔 how we might miss that these behaviours could indicate something underlying that needs addressing

💔 how existing challenges can make a young person vulnerable to being targeted

Did you know that 50% of children exposed to abuse develop mental health difficulty ()?

In the first phase of developing A is for Amy, one of the young people who saw the play and took part in our workshop said...

“Even though I’m under multiple horrible statistics, I feel safer.”

Essentially... forewarned is forearmed.

Our brand new film of A is for Amy depicts:

💔 a bubbly teen girl escaping an abusive home to move in with a charming boyfriend

💔 the charm gradually turning to control and Amy’s world becoming smaller and more isolated

💔 her friends noticing and reaching out for adult support

💔 her teacher arranging specialist support to help her recovery

💔 her friends supporting her with love and care, being a safe space, letting her breathe

It’s a story of Children’s Mental Health... the signs, the risk factors and support pathways.

Come and join us for the premiere of A is for Amy!!!

https://tickets.redhillsdurham.org/event/a-is-for-amy-film-premiere-and-qa/

(link in bio)

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Studio 18, Ushaw Historic House, Chapel And Gardens
Durham
DH77DW

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+447815837034

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What We Do

Changing Relations C.I.C. is an arts-based education and training company that challenges thinking around gender norms, gender equality and healthy relationships, using creative methods to provide original educational and training resources.

We work with artists, communities and experts to produce powerful content in a range of art forms to engage audiences and participants; from film, music, theatre and dance to creative writing and visual arts.

We address topical and sensitive subjects, such as domestic abuse, male mental health and sexting risks, in an accessible way, giving a voice to those people who have been affected and generating public and professional understanding.