HEXHAM’S High Streets Action Zone (HSHAZ) has been given a boost with the announcement of a further £80,000 grant from Historic England. Hexham HSHAZ is one of over 60 English high streets to receive a share of £6 million for its cultural programme, through grants to local arts organisations for cultural activities. Led by the Queen’s Hall, HSHAZ will run a pilot project in September called Animation Hexham, using the town’s high street and buildings to inspire conversations about Hexham’s past, present and future. Katy Taylor, who put together the successful bid, said: “We’re working together with 6 professional artists and community animators to create work that will be projected in the high street in September. The idea with the pilot project is that it creates animation that initiates conversations on what the high street means to residents and what it could be. We’ve got everything from families working on Lego animations to professional hand-drawn ani