New North East Cultural Partnership

Image: (Left to right) Jacqui Kell, Joint CEO of Live Theatre, Neil Percival, Director of Cultural Partnerships at Northumbria and Keith Merrin, Director of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums.

We are happy to share that we have signed a partnership with Northumbria University to support new research addressing some of the key challenges of our times; linking culture and creativity to health and wellbeing and exploring the benefits of participation in the arts by young people from more diverse backgrounds. The partnership will involve:  

• opening new real-world learning opportunities for students in subjects ranging from creative writing and theatre, through to occupational therapy and early years education.  

• academics from Northumbria working with colleagues from TWAM across a variety of areas, including social care and wellbeing, digital collections management, history and heritage, social mobility, and creative and cultural sector resilience.   

• offering placement opportunities and student projects in venues across Tyne and Wear, which are mutually beneficial to both organisations and to student experience. The University aims to embed experiential learning into all its programmes – connecting the theory and knowledge learned in the classroom to real-world situations.   

Keith Merrin, Director of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, said:  

“We welcome the resource and capacity this partnership will bring to help us demonstrate the power of the collections we hold, and the stories they tell, to make a positive difference to people's lives.”  

Neil Percival, Director of Cultural Partnerships at Northumbria, said the new agreements grew naturally out of the University’s established commitment to partnership working.

He explains: “Every cultural partner we work with is different, but we collaborate with each one to find mutual benefits in teaching and learning, and in research, to make a difference to the communities we both support.

“These partnerships bring particular opportunities to explore the ways in which culture and heritage play a part in supporting health, wellbeing and social care; and to understand how young people from all backgrounds can be drawn into creative activity, such as theatre and performance, to boost their aspirations and broaden their choices.

“We are also developing plans with all our partners to collaborate on outreach activities – looking for new ways to tell the region’s stories and bring creative opportunities to more young people from all ages and backgrounds.

“Through these new partnerships, and our existing work with cultural organisations in the region, we want to boost the region’s future creative strength by identifying and nurturing the next generation of talented young artists, writers, curators and creatives.”

Northumbria University has also agreed a new partnership with Live Theatre which will involve engagement with students on Northumbria’s Theatre and Performance and Creative Writing degree programmes, including workshops, modules, and work experience, as well as the unique opportunity for students to observe rehearsals for Live Theatre productions.

Collaborative research bids are already being developed focusing especially on the opportunities and benefits provided for young people from all backgrounds by Live’s highly regarded Youth Theatre.

Executive Director and Joint CEO of Live Theatre Jacqui Kell said: "Live Theatre has had a relationship with Northumbria University for some time, but we are thrilled this has been formally recognised.

“We share a commitment that everyone should have access to the best possible creative opportunities whether as a career, to build skills and confidence or enhance quality of life.

“We look forward to working with the university on research opportunities as well as being involved in teaching and learning and broadening student’s perspectives.”