The statement 

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.

The Signees:

• Alphabetti Theatre

Signee: Ali Pritchard, Artistic/Executive Director

Contact: ali@alphabettitheatre.co.uk

• Ampersand Inventions

Signees: Jonpaul Kirvan FRSA / Peter Marchal, Directors

Contact: contact@ampersandinventions.com

• Anna Robinson

Sceneographer

Contact: anna.fkrobinson@gmail.com

• ARC Stockton

Signee: Annabel Turpin

Contact: Annabel.Turpin@arconline.co.uk

• Arts and Health Network, North East

Signee: Katie Mitchell

Contact: ahnnortheast@gmail.com

• Arts&Heritage

Stephanie Allen, Executive Director

Contact: info@artsandheritage.org.uk

• Artist Union England

Signee: Theresa Easton

Contact: theresa@artistsunionengland.org.uk

• Assembly Rooms Theatre Durham

Signee: Kate Barton

Contact: theatre.manager@durham.ac.uk

• balletLORENT

Signee: Liv Lorent

Contact: liv@balletlorent.com

• Blowin’ A Hooley Theatre

Contact: hooleytheatre@gmail.com

• BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art

Signee: Sarah Munro, Director

Contact: Caroline Murphy, carolinem@balticmill.com

• Ben Dickenson

Associate Literary Producer Alphabetti Theatre

Contact: benji.dickenson@gmail.com

• Bensham Grove

Signee: Shirley Brown, Chair

Contact: Vikas Kumar, Vice Chair, vikas@gemarts.org

• Beverley Prevatt Goldstein

Signee: Beverley Prevatt Goldstein

Contact: beverleyprevattgoldstein@gmail.com

• Boiler Shop

Signee: Phil Barker, General Manager

Contact: info@stephensonworks.com

• Bonnie & the Bonnettes

Signees: Hattie Eason, Cameron Sharp and Rebecca Glendenning, Co-Founders of Bonnie and The Bonnettes.

Contact: bonnieandthebonnettes@gmail.com

• Brash

Signee: Bethan Kitchen, Artistic Director

Contact: bethan@brash-events.co.uk

• Bridge+Tunnel Productions

Signee: Tina Gharavi, Creative Director

Contact: admin@bridgeandtunnelproductions.com

• Butcher’s Dog Poetry Magazine

Signee: Dr. Jo Clement, Managing Editor

• Camisado Club

Signee: Caroline Liversidge, Camisado Club

Contact: info@camisadoclub.co.uk

• Centre for Life, Newcastle

Signee: Linda Conlon

Contact: Louise Ricardson louise.richardson@life.org.uk

• Circus Central

Sarah Carrie, Operations Director
Contact: sarah@circuscentral.co.uk

• Citizen Songwriters CIC

Signee: Sam Slatcher and Alex Summerson, Directors

Contact: info@citizensongwriters.org

• Cobalt Studios

Contact: hello@cobaltstudios.co.uk

• Comrades of Children Overseas (COCO)

Signee: Lucy Kendall

Contact: lucy@coco.org.uk

• Company of Others

Signee: Nadia Iftkhar, Artistic Director & CEO

Contact: nadia@companyofothers.org.uk

• The Common Room

Signee: Liz Mayes
Contact: Philippa.King-Williams@thecommonroom.org.uk

• Converge at Northumbria

Signee: Ally Hunter Byron, Coordinator 
Contact: Ally2.hunter@northumbria.ac.uk 

• Coracle Productions

Signee: Matt Jamie, Artistic Director Contact: Coracletheatre@gmail.com

• Creative Seed

Contact: Sandy and Garner Harris, Founding Directors

• The Culture Durham Partnership

Signed by Tony Harrington, chair

Contact – tony@intheforge.com

• The Cultural Spring

Signee: Emma Horsman

emma.horsman@theculturalspring.org.uk

• The Culture Vulture

Signee: Rachel Horton

Contact: horton1985@live.co.uk

• Cumberland Arms

Signee: Jo Hodson

Contact: info@thecumberlandarsm.co.uk

• Curious Arts

Signee: Phil Douglas, Director

Contact: Ellie Puckering ellie@curiousarts.org.uk

• Curious Monkey

Signee: Amy Golding

Contact: amy@curiousmonkeytheatre.com

• The Customs House

Signee: Ray Spenser

Contact: rayspencer@customshouse.co.uk

• D6 Culture in Transit

Signee: Clymene Christoforou, Director

• Dance City

Signee: Phil Douglas

Contact: Phil Douglas, phil.douglas@dancecity.co.uk

• Degna Stone

Poet and editor

• Dingy Butterflies CIC

Signee: Ben Jones, Founder & Director

Contact: dingybutterflies@gmail.com

• Disconsortia

Signee: Lisette Auton, Co-founding Member

Contact: disconsortia@gmail.com

• Dr. Sheree Mack

Creatrix

Contact: sheshemack@gmail.com 

• DrumDin

Signee: Carol Alevroyianni

Contact: calevroyianni@aol.com

• East Durham Creates

Signees: Jess Hunt & Malcolm Fallow
Contact: jess.hunt@eastdurhamtrust.org.uk

• Eliot Smith Dance (ESD)

Signee: Eliot Smith, Artistic Director

Contact: eliot@eliotsmithdance.com

• Elizabeth Kane

Artist

Contact: Ekvisualartist@outlook.com

• Empty Shop CIC 

Signees: Carlo Viglianisi and Nick Malyan

Contact: nick@emptyshop.org 

• Event International

Signee: Frank Wilson

Contact: frank@eventi.co.uk 

• Explore Lifelong Learning

Signee:  Dorothy Stainsby, Co-chair, Joseph Cowen Lifelong Learning Centre CIO

Contact: weareexplore@gmail.com

• The Forge

Signee: Tony Harrington Executive Director

Contact – tony@intheforge.com

• The Foundation of Light and Beacon of Light facility

Signee: Jamie Wright, Managing Director

Contact: jamie.wright@foundationoflight.co.uk

•  Gateway Studio CIO

Signee: Martin Hylton, Artistic Director/CEO

Contact: Martin Hylton, martin.hylton@gatewaystudioproject.co.uk

• Gateshead Council

Signee: Councillor Angela Douglas, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Leisure

Contact: EdnieWilson@Gateshead.Gov.Uk

• GemArts

Signee: Vikas Kumar MBE, Director

Contact: Vikas Kumar, vikas@gemarts.org

• Gobscure

Signee: Sean Burn

Contact: gobscure@posteo.net

• Gosforth Civic Theatre

Contact: info@gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk

• Greenfield Arts

Signee: Katy Milne

Contact: katy.milne@greenfieldschool.net

• Harambee Pasadia CIC

Signee: Hannabiell Sanders

Contact: Hannabiell Sanders, harambeepasadia@gmail.com

• Heart of the City Partnership/ Newcastle Castle

Signee: Ben A C Smith

Contact: ben.smith@newcastlecastle.co.uk

• Higgler

Signee: Chelsea Clarke, Founder

Contact: chelsea@higgler.shop

• Holly Argent

Artist/ Researcher

Contact: holly.argent@live.co.uk

• Hullabaloo Theatre

Signees: Miranda Thain, Chief Executive & Artistic Producer

Contact: mirandathain@theatrehullabaloo.org.uk

• Ideas for Change Consulting

Signee: Sanjee Ratnatunga

Contact: sanjrat@yahoo.co.uk

• Identity on Tyne

Signee: Project Coordinator

Contact: identityontyne@googlemail.com 

• The Invisible Labs

Signee: Bhavani Esapathi, Founding Director

Contact: bhaesa@gmail.com

• Jack Drum Arts CIC

Signee: Helen Ward, Managing Director

Contact: helen@jackdrum.co.uk

• Keep Our NHS Public North East (KONPNE)

Signee: Jude Letham

Contact: konpnortheast@gmail.com

• Kitchen Zoo

Signee: Bob Nicholson

Contact: info.kitchenzoo@gmail.com

• Kusoma African Book Club

Signee: Pauline Hughes (Plummer) 

Contact: pauline.sonnet@blueyonder.co.uk

• Ladies of Midnight Blue

Signee: Yilis Suriel

Contact: yilissuriel@gmail.com

• Laura Fish

Writer and lecturer at Northumbria University

Contact: laura.fish@northumbria.ac.uk

• The Letter Room

Signees: Meghan Doyle and Stan Hodgson, Co-Artistic Directors

Contact: info@theletterroomtheatre.co.uk

• LGBT and fed North East

Signee: Phil Hayden

Contact: phil.hayden100@btinternet.com

• Little Cog

Signee: Vici Wreford-Sinnott, Artistic Director

Contact: littlecog@rocketmail.com

• Live Theatre

Signee: Jim Beirne, Chief Executive

Contact: joe@live.org.uk

• Louise Evan Wong 

Individual

Contact: louise@evanwong.co.uk

• Luca Rutherford

writer + performer

Contact: luca.a.rutherford@gmail.com

• Luxi

Signee: Caroline Pearce

Contact: cp@luxicreative.co.uk

• Megan Brown

Dance Artist

Contact: meganjane1401@gmail.com

• Melody Sproates

Artist/Performer

• Middlesbrough Council Cultural buildings

Middlesbrough Town Hall, Middlesbrough Theatre, Middlesbrough Museums

Signee: Mieka Smiles, Executive Member for Culture, Middlesbrough Council.
Contact: Mieka_Smiles@middlesbrough.gov.uk

• Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA)

Signee: Laura Sillars, MIMA Director and Dean of MIMA School of Art & Design

Contact: S.Pearson@tees.ac.uk

• Mortal Fools

Signee: Kiz Crosbie, Artistic Director/CEO

Contact: kiz@mortalfools.org.uk

• Mslexia

Signee: Debbie Taylor, Editorial Director

Contact: debbie@mslexia.co.uk

• Music Partnership North Newcastle

Signee: Georgina Biddle, Senior Specialist Music Service 

Contact: georgina.bddle@newcastle.gov.uk

• NEPN (North East Photography Network)

Signee: Amanda Ritson

Contact: ritson.amanda@gmail.com

• Network Artists North East

Signee: Jo Liddle
Contact: admin@networkartists.org.uk

• The NewBridge Project

Signee: Rebecca Huggan, Director

Contact: r.huggan@thenewbridgeproject.com

• Newcastles of the World

Signee: David Faulkner

Contact: newcastlesoftheworld@gmail.com

• Newcastle City Council Arts Team

Signee: Cllr Ged Bell (Cabinet Member for Culture)

Contact: Jim Mawdsley, Arts and Culture Senior Advisor, Jim.Mawdsley@newcastle.gov.uk

• NewcastleGateshead Initiative

Signee: Shelley Johnson
Contact: shelley.johnson@ngi.org.uk

• Newcastle Theatre Royal

Signee: Philip Bernays, Chief Executive

Contact: Deb.Dovinson@theatreroyal.co.uk

• Newcastle University

Signee: Professor Julie Sanders, Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Contact: Julie.sanders@ncl.ac.uk

• New Writing North

Claire Malcolm, Chief Executive

Contact: office@newwritingnorth.com

• North East Emerging Museum Professionals Group

Signee: Hannah Mather

Contact: neempgroup@gmail.com

• North East of England African Community Association

Signee: Abdul-Aziz Kouamé

Contact: abdul.aziz.kouame@gmail.com

• North East Culture Partnership

Signee: Matthew Jaratt

Contact: matthew.jarratt@neculturepartnership.co.uk

• North East Labour History Society

Signee: David Connolly

Contact: davidconnolly124@hotmail.co.uk

• Northumberland Theatres

Signee: Wendy Scott

Contact: wendy.scott02@northumberland.gov.uk

• Northern Alchemy Brewery

Signee: Andrew AItchison

Contact: andy@wearenorthernalchemy.com

• Northern Architectural History Society

Signee: Christopher Downs, Chair

Contact: enquiries@northernarchitecturalhistory.org.uk

• Northern Heartlands

Signee: Jill Cole

Contact: jill.cole@northernheartlands.org

• Northern Print

Signee: Anna Wilkinson, Director

Contact: anna@northernprint.org.uk

• Northern Roots

Signee: Adam Collerton, Director

Contact: adam@northern-roots.org.uk

• Northern Stage

Signee: Kate Denby, Executive Director 

Contact: Mark Calvert, MCalvert@northernstage.co.uk

• The Old Coal Yard

Signee: Carl Kennedy

Contact: theoldcoalyardncl@gmail.com

• On Board Arts street theatre company

Signee: Nik Alevroyiannis, Artistic Director

Contact: info@onboardarts.com

•  One For All Productions

Signee: John MacMahon, Creative Director

Contact: oneforallproductions@outlook.com

• OGRE

Signee: Steven Walker, Creative Director

• Open Clasp

Signees: Joint Chief Executives Catrina McHugh MBE / Ellie Turner

Contacts: catrina@openclasp.org.uk, ellie@openclasp.org.uk

• Orbis

Signees: Jonpaul Kirvan FRSA, Paul Stone, Chris Yeats

• Origin Moko Jumbies

Signee: Alan Vaughan

Contact: alanpvaughan@gmail.com

• Paco Rivera

Musician

Contact: pacorivera54@hotmail.com

• Pippa Kyle

Individual

Contact: phillippakyle@live.co.uk

• The Poetry Book Society

Signee: Sophie O’Neill

Contact: Sophie@inpressbooks.co.uk

• Prometheus Foundation CIC

Signee: Dot Owston

• SALTo Arts Productions

Signee: Richard Broderick

Contact: brodsalto@gmail.com

• Sage Gateshead

Signee: Abigail Pogson, Director

Contact: Wendy Smith, wendy.smith@sagegateshead.com

• Sangini

Signee: Padma Rao

• Scotswood Garden

Signee: Farah Kurji, Development Manager.

Contact: farah@sncg.org.uk

• Sensory Spaces, Newcastle

Contact: sensoryspaces@hotmail.co.uk

• Show Racism the Red Card

Signee: Justine King, Educational Coordinator

Email: justine@theredcard.org

• Seventeen Nineteen

Signee: Lily Daniels, Participation and Engagement Officer

Contact: ldaniels@thecct.org.uk

• Seven Stories

Signee: John Coburn

Contact: Amanda Beckham, amanda.beckham@sevenstories.org.uk

• Side By Side Arts CIC

Signee: Stuart Angus, Director

Contact: stuart@sidebysidearts.org

• The Six Twenty

Signee: Melanie Rashbrooke, Artistic Director

Contact: thesixtwenty@gmail.com

• Skimstone Arts

Signee: Claire Webster-Saaramets, Director

Contact: claire@skimstone.org.uk

• Slugtown

Signees: Max Lee and Matt Antoniak, Co-directors

• Streetwise Young People’s Project

Signee: Mandy Coppin (Taylor)

• Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne

Signee: Nick Hodgson

Contact: secretary@newcastle-antiquaries.org.uk

• Success4All

Signee: Caroline Afolabi-Deleu

Contact: caroline@s4a.org.uk

• Sue Ward

Researcher

Contact: sue.ward@phonecoop.coop

• Sue Woolhouse MA RCA

Artist, Ouseburn Warehouse Workshops

Contact: sue@suewoolhouse.com

• Summer Streets Festival

Signee: Ross Millard

Contact: hello@summerstreetsfestival.com

• Sunderland Culture 

Signees: Helen Connify and Graeme Thompson

Contact: Helen.Connify@sunderland.ac.uk, graeme.thompson@sunderland.ac.uk

• Sunderland Music Hub

Signee: Lizzie Nixon

Contact: sunderland.music@togetherforchildren.org.uk

• Susan Ashley

AHRC Researcher

Contact: susan.ashley@northumbria.ac.uk

• Theatre Sans Frontieres

Signee: Sarah Kemp

Contact: sarah@tsf.org.uk

• Thinking/Practice

Signee: Mark Robinson

Contact: info@thinkingpractice.co.uk

• Tees Valley Arts

Signee: James Beighton, Executive Director

Contact: james@teesvalleyarts.org.uk

• Tin Arts

Signee: Martin Wilson, Executive Director

Contact: martin@tinarts.co.uk

• Tiny Middlesborough

Signee: Matt Campbell

Contact: matt@clubtiny.net

• Tyneside Cinema

Signee: Simon Drysdale, Director.

Contact: simon.drysdale@tynesidecinema.co.uk

• Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums

Signee: Keith Merrin, Director

Contact: Bill Griffiths, bill.griffiths@twmuseums.org.uk

• Tyne and Wear Cultural Freelancers

Signee: Leila d’Aronville

Contact: Leila.daronville@gmail.com

• Twisterella Festival

Signees: Andy Carr and Henry Carden

Contact: info@twisterella.co.uk

• Unfolding Theatre

Signees: Michael Barrass, Alex Elliott, Garry Lydon, Annie Rigby and Luca Rutherford

Contact: annie@unfoldingtheatre.co.uk

• VAMOS!

Signee: Nikolas Barrera

Contact: nikolasbarrera@gmail.com

• Voices of Virtue Gospel Choir

Signees: Mathapelo Imarhiagbe, Chinyere Igun, Glen Smiley

• Waka Waka Africa North East

Signee: David Fualkner

Contact: wakawakaafricanortheast@sky.com

• Well Newcastle Gateshead

Signee: Mark Mulqueen, Programme Director

Contact: mark@bluestoneconsortium.org.uk

• We Make Culture CIC

Signee: Laura Brewis, Project Director

Contact: laura@wemakeculture.co.uk

• Women Artists of the North East Library

Signee: Holly Argent, Project lead

Email: womenartistsnelibrary@gmail.com

• Workplace and Workplace Foundation

Signee: Miles Thurlow

Contact: miles@workplacefoundation.art

• VARC

Signee: Helen Pailing

Contact: helen@varc.org.uk

• Yvette Ja Hawkins

Visual Artist

Contact: yvettehawkins@gmail.com