We stand to denounce racism in all its forms.
We, the undersigned from the cultural sector of the North East, declare that silence is not ok and silence is seen as complicity. Racism has no place in a just and humane society.
Whilst we cannot undo pain and neglect, we are calling on all of us in the arts, cultural, heritage sectors; professional and voluntary to work together to address racism and its deep roots. We must listen, have conversations and most importantly act, we know we need to do better. Everyone is part of the solution – artists, staff, trustees, partners, promoters, audiences and communities.
We want to tackle this together in sharing better understanding and practices. We stand united to bring about change in our thinking and actions as a collective of organisations and individuals.
In the weeks and months to come we will collectively act to build on this statement with concrete steps and actions to demonstrate our commitment to bringing about real change. We ask you to stand with us.
We contacted as many organisations and individuals we could in a short space of time.
If you would like to join us in these future conversations please contact any of the points of contacts listed below:
Alphabetti Theatre
Signee: Ali Pritchard, Artistic/Executive Director
Contact: Ali Pritchard, [email protected]
The Angelou Centre
Signee: Rosie Lewis, Deputy Director & VAWG Services Manager
Anna Robinson
Sceneographer
Contact: [email protected]
ARC Stockton
Signee: Annabel Turpin
Contact: [email protected]
Arts&Heritage
Stephanie Allen, Executive Director
Contact: [email protected]
Assembly Rooms Theatre Durham
Signee: Kate Barton
Contact: [email protected]
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art
Signee: Sarah Munro, Director
Contact: Caroline Murphy, [email protected]
Ben Dickenson
Contact: [email protected]
Executive Producer, City of Dreams / Associate Literary Producer Alphabetti
Beverley Prevatt Goldstein
Signee: Beverley Prevatt Goldstein
Contact: [email protected]
Brash
Signee: Bethan Kitchen, Artistic Director
Cpontact: [email protected]
Camisado Club
Signee: Caroline Liversidge, Camisado Club
Contact: [email protected]
Centre for Life, Newcastle
Signee: Linda Conlon
Contact: Louise Richardson, [email protected]
Company of Others
Signee: Nadia Iftkhar, Artistic Director & CEO
Contact: Nadia Iftkhar, [email protected]
Curious Arts
Signee: Phil Douglas, Director
Contact: Ellie Puckering, [email protected]
Curious Monkey
Signee: Amy Golding
Contact: [email protected]
Creative Seed
Contact: Sandy and Garner Harris, Founding Directors
D6 Culture in Transit
Clymene Christoforou, Director
Dance City
Signee: Phil Douglas
Contact: Phil Douglas, [email protected]
Degna Stone
Poet and editor
Disconsortia
Signee: Lisette Auton, Co-founding Member
Contact: [email protected]
Ednie Wilson
Gateshead
Gateway Studio CIO
Signee: Martin Hylton, Artistic Director/CEO
Contact: Martin Hylton, [email protected]
GemArts
Signee: Vikas Kumar MBE, Director
Contact: Vikas Kumar, [email protected]
Gobscure
Signee: Sean Burn
Contact: [email protected]
Gosforth Civic Theatre
Contact: [email protected]
Harambee Pasadia CIC
Signee: Hannabiell Sanders
Contact: Hannabiell Sanders, [email protected]
Kitchen Zoo
Signee: Bob Nicholson
Contact: [email protected]
Ladies of Midnight Blue
Signee: Yilis Suriel
Contact: Yilis Suriel, [email protected]
The Letter Room
Signees: Meghan Doyle and Stan Hodgson, Co-Artistic Directors
Contact: [email protected]
Little Cog
Signee: Vici Wreford-Sinnott, Artistic Director
Contact: [email protected]
Live Theatre
Signee: Jim Beirne, Chief Executive
Contact: [email protected]
Luxi
Signee: Caroline Pearce
Contact: [email protected]
Melody Sproates
Artist/Performer
Contact: [email protected]
Mortal Fools
Signee: Kiz Crosbie, Artistic Director/CEO
Contact: [email protected]
The NewBridge Project
Signee: Rebecca Huggan, Director
Contact: [email protected]
New Writing North
Claire Malcolm, Chief Executive
Contact: Claire Malcolm, [email protected]
Newcastle City Council Arts Team
Signee: Cllr Ged Bell (Cabinet Member for Culture)
Contact: Jim Mawdsley, Arts and Culture Senior Advisor, [email protected]
Newcastle Theatre Royal
Signee: Philip Bernays, Chief Executive
Newcastle University
Signee: Professor Julie Sanders, Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Contact: [email protected]
Northern Roots
Signee: Adam Collerton, Director
Contact: [email protected]
Northern Stage
Signee: Kate Denby, Executive Director Contact: Mark Calvert, [email protected]
OGRE
Contact: Steven Walker, Creative Director
Open Clasp
Signees: Joint Chief Executives Catrina McHugh MBE / Ellie Turner
Contacts: [email protected], [email protected]
Origin Moko Jumbies
Signee: Alan Vaughan
Contact: [email protected]
Sage Gateshead
Signee: Abigail Pogson, Director
Contact: Wendy Smith, [email protected]
Sangini
Signee: Padma Rao
Seven Stories
Signee: John Coburn
Contact: Amanda Beckham, [email protected]
Skimstone Arts
Signee: Claire Webster-Saaramets, Director
Contact: Claire Webster-Saaramets, [email protected]
Slugtown
Signees: Max Lee and Matt Antoniak, Co-directors
Summer Streets Festival
Signee: Ross Millard
Contact: [email protected]
Sunderland Music Hub
Signee: Lizzie Nixon
Contact: [email protected]
Susan Ashley
AHRC Researcher
Contact: [email protected]
Prometheus Foundation CIC
Contact: Dot Owston
Tyneside Cinema
Signee: Holli Keeble, Chief Executive Officer
Contact: Holli Keeble, [email protected]
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums
Signee: Iain Watson, Director
Contact: Bill Griffiths, [email protected]
Tyne and Wear Cultural Freelancers
Signee: Leila d’Aronville
Contact: Leila d’Aronville, [email protected]
Unfolding Theatre
Signees: Michael Barrass, Alex Elliott, Garry Lydon, Annie Rigby and Luca Rutherford
Contact: [email protected]
VAMOS!
Signee: Nikolas Barrera
Contact: [email protected]
Voices of Virtue Gospel Choir
Signees: Mathapelo Imarhiagbe, Chinyere Igun, Glen Smiley
We Make Culture CIC
Signee: Laura Brewis, Project Director
Contact: [email protected]