North East Museums joins 'Become the Bridge' anti-racism initiative
Standing up for North East England as a place where no one is made to feel like an outsider
North East Museums has joined Become the Bridge – the North East Anti-Racism Coalition's iniative to challenge racism for a fairer, stronger region.
Director Keith Merrin and Museum Manager Malavika Anderson signed the pledge at the Great North Museum: Hancock on Friday 24 April 2026, alongside Nitin Shukla and Shahda Khan from the North East Anti-Racism Coalition.
Become the Bridge aims to mobilise and empower organisations to take meaningful action within their systems and practices to challenge racism. Ultimately, it is about standing up for North East England as a place where no one is made to feel like an outsider.
In joining the network, North East Museums is committing to share information and experiences with other participants, to report on the progress of its anti-racism action plan, and to evaluate activities to make Become the Bridge more effective.
The Mission of North East Museums is to welcome and connect people to the past, present and future of the North East through stories, shared spaces and experiences.
As an organisation, we:
- Provide a warm welcome to everyone
- Break down barriers caused by inequality and discrimination
- Share diverse stories of our region and its history
- Use our museums to support people's physical and mental health
- Deliver learning experiences and growth opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds
- Celebrate North East England and inspire local pride.
Over 60 regional organisations have already signed up to Become the Bridge, including Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, North East Chamber of Commerce and Newcastle Building Society.
