Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums launching fundraising campaign to raise £220,000

The organisation which manages some of the region’s most popular museums and galleries – Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums – is launching a public campaign to encourage people to support their favourite venues to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The closure of the nine museums and galleries managed by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (including Discovery Museum, Great North Museum: Hancock, Laing Art Gallery, Stephenson Steam Railway, Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort, South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, Hatton Gallery, Segedunum Roman Fort and Shipley Art Gallery) for over four months has had a significant impact on income. 

Iain Watson, Director of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, said: 

“We are very fortunate to receive funding from local authorities, Newcastle University and the Arts Council to manage nine museums and the regional archives but Covid-19 has seriously reduced our ability to generate the income we usually raise through our shops, cafes, venue hire and fundraising which is vital to meeting the costs of running our venues and delivering programmes for our communities.  

“We have managed to make savings during lockdown and we have secured some funding from the Culture Recovery Fund, so are now seeking to raise £220,000 by a programme of regular and individual giving to support our activity going forward.  

“We have been blown away by the loyalty and support we have seen from the people of Tyneside during these strange times. People have really missed our venues and have been delighted to visit them again. Now more than ever, we believe art, culture and heritage sits firmly at the heart of the North East and we’d be very grateful if everyone who loves our venues helps us to keep it there by making a donation.” 

Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums venues usually attract over 1.2 million visits a year and welcome 75,000 school children to participate in educational activities. Through its community programmes it engages with local people who would never usually visit a museum or gallery – taking the museum to them. It co-ordinates The Late Shows, NewcastleGateshead’s annual event in May, involving over 50 venues and attracting over 30,000 visits.   

It is asking people who love their local museums and galleries to donate £2, £12 or £22 a month or to donate next time they visit, to help them continue to offer all of these services.  

Find out more about how to support Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums: www.twmuseums.org.uk/about/appeal 

Please contact Jonathan.Loach@twmuseums.org.uk