About

Middlesbrough High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) was part of a national programme aiming to transform and breathe new life into our historic high street between 2020 and 2024.

Funded by Historic England and Middlesbrough Council, the project aimed to make the High Street fit for the future through a programme of improvements designed to reinvigorate the area and attract investment. It encouraged arts and community to come together to respond to the past and shape the future of the High Street.


We are proud to be featured in Historic England’s film above, released in April 2024 – ‘Historic High Streets Revived Through Investment’ showcasing Middlesbrough as one of the 67 HSHAZ areas to be part of the four year programme.

In November 2022 we commissioned a short film featuring the artists, communities and cultural organisations who shaped Celebrating Hidden Middlesbrough.

From radical nostalgia and the warrior women of Middlesbrough, to dancing in the shadows of railway bridges, memories of chicken sandwiches in The Masham and the industrial heritage of a town that built the world this film is a tribute to the creativity and pride that is so synonymous with Middlesbrough.

The film, produced by Squeaky Pedal, is a celebration of our heritage, our building, our people and our stories.

Celebrating Hidden Middlesbrough is part of a High Street Heritage Action Zone, and is a cultural programme delivered by members of Middlesbrough Cultural Partnership and led by Navigator North.