Arts Council England has awarded more than £18m to 11 consortia based across England in the latest round of its Creative people and places fund.

Projects to benefit include a consortium led by Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, which won £1.5m for a project to bring internationally recognised artists to East Durham for a locally-directed programme of exhibitions, events and festivals.

In the East Midlands, a project led by Creswell Heritage Trust was awarded £1.5m for a collaborative project bringing together artists and communities, which will be inspired by the local landscape and Ice Age rock art found in caves at Creswell Crags.

The University of Sunderland won £2m for a project titled The Cultural Spring, one aspect of which will allow empty homes in the area to be transformed into art galleries.

The 11 consortia that were awarded funding are made up of museums and other relevant bodies in partnership with the local community, grassroots organisations and the amateur sector. They will receive funding over the next three years to deliver collaborative community projects.

The programme aims to empower communities to take the lead in shaping local arts provision and encourage long-term collaborations between local organisations. It has a particular focus on the parts of the country where involvement in the arts is significantly below the national average.

ACE chief Alan Davey said: “Creative people and places is unique because, for the first time, the doors are thrown wide open to communities and, amongst others, to amateur and voluntary groups. We’re asking them to get involved in creating arts activities we know they’ll enjoy.”

The arts council has awarded just over £35m through the Creative people and places scheme to date.