North East

Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art (Baltic)

Baltic launched an online archive chronicling 25 years of their exhibitions and engagement projects, as well as a growing catalogue of over 30,000 records. This digital collection is rich in video content and comes with a powerful search tool for researchers of all levels.

Close-up of a very small loaf of bread, wrapped in clear film. A sticker on the bread reads 'B.READ'. The loaf is held in the cupped palms of a person, who is wearing black.

Image credit: Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art

Explore York Libraries and Archives (EYLA)

EYLA worked with disabled artists and local organisations to explore York’s archive collections through the lens of Disability Arts. Their project, Shush, Snip, Rip, invited participants to unearth untold stories and creatively respond to them, effectively giving voice to those often excluded from historical narratives. This culminated in a Disability Arts showcase held at The York Explore Library and Archive. Shush, Snip, Rip was supported with public funding from Arts Council England.

A copper-colour grating, which has a small handcrafted doll attached with pipe cleaners, which double as the doll's arms. An illustration of a blank bust is in the background, with shoulder-length bright blue hair.

Image credit: Explore York Libraries and Archives

Henry Moore Institute (HMI) and Leeds Museums and Galleries (LMG)

In partnership, HMI and the LMG jointly opened an archive gallery to exclusively present works from the Archive of Sculptors’ Papers which is owned by Leeds Museums and Galleries and operated from the Henry Moore Institute. This free and accessible archive captured the working lives of hundreds of sculptors through photographs, letters, drawings, sketchbooks, digital records, tools and costumes.

A white gallery space with a grey floor, with nine white-framed black and white photographs in the foreground, and a few sculptures in the background.

Image credit: Henry Moore Institute

Hull History Centre (HHC)

HHC held an exhibition commemorating the 725th anniversary of royal charters being issued to Hull and its lost neighbour Ravenser Odd in 1299. The exhibition highlighted existing items from HHC’s collection and historic documents on loan from The National Archives. Associated activities included talks, art workshops designed and delivered by Square Peg Hull, and school visits supported by advocacy and funding from the Hull Maritime project, with additional funding and expertise from the University of Sussex.

A close-up of three hand-created paper and fabric figures, each being held by a young child

Image credit: Hull History Centre

Thackray Museum of Medicine (TMM)

Throughout 2023-4, TMM meticulously catalogued their previously unexplored archives as part of a new project called Archive Alive. Overseen by Archivist Robert Curphey, seven volunteers discovered personal papers from forgotten Yorkshire health heroes, archives of local medical supply companies, surgical instrument designs, press cuttings, prescription books, and even an 18th Century recipe for stilton cheese! Two of the volunteers have gone on to find paid employment with the museum.

A person standing at a large wooden plan chest, handling a small hardback book with diagrams in it. Around them are various books, and on a cabinet to the left of them are several rolled documents of various sizes.

Image credit: Thackray Museum of Medicine

The Brass Bands Archive (BBA)

With funding from National Lottery Fund and the Scottish Power Foundation, BBA worked in partnership with Heritage Quay and Shape North to commission creative workshops in three schools across Huddersfield. Students explored their collections first-hand and played the instruments, bringing to life the world’s largest archive dedicated to preserving global brass band heritage. The BBA’s archives are publicly accessible to researchers and those keen to learn from over a century of banding heritage.

Interior of a Primary School classroom - in the foreground, a group of 10 children, wearing red, white and grey school colours, are kneeling or sitting on the floor as they pose for a photo, each holding a paper figure. Two adults are sat on the floor behind them.

Image credit: Shape North and Brass Bands England

Tyne and Wear Archives

In early 2024, Tyne and Wear Archives launched The Unlocking North East Jewish Heritage project. This online platform brings together newly digitised archival material and academic research to share the fascinating stories of North East Jewish communities. The project is supported by local Jewish communities and features collections from a number of regional archives.

Building plan for construction of a synagogue, showing five different perspectives - 'elevation to Ogle Terrace', 'rear elevation', 'longitudinal elevation', cross section', and 'end elevation'. The plan is titled 'Proposed Synagogue. Ogle Terrace South Shields. Scale eight feet to an inch.' The exterior of the building in the plan has been coloured pink, with a grey roof.

Image credit: Tyne & Wear Archives, catalogue reference T229/8796

University of Durham and Durham Cathedral

The university and cathedral worked in partnership to relocate the cathedral’s archives to the university’s Palace Green Library. They had not left the cathedral precincts for nearly 1000 years. Over 20,000 medieval documents were individually repackaged and audited over a period of six months. Conservators also developed special recyclable ‘suspension’ for the packing crates to protect the collections from damage during transportation.

A series of medieval deeds - folded handwritten documents with red or brown wax seals attached - grouped together in a loose pile

Image credit: University of Durham and Durham Cathedral

University of Leeds (UoL) Special Collections and Galleries

UoL hosted a creative workshop with the Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network (LASSN) as part of their ‘Welcoming Migrants’ initiative. Workshop Lead and Student Ambassador, Saba Siddiqui, invited the group to draw inspiration from selected items in the University’s Cookery Collection before writing and illustrating recipes from their own cultures. These globe-spanning recipes were drawn together into a cookbook which was exhibited and sold, with all proceeds going to LASSN.

A person wearing a blue top, a lilac scarf and a grey fleece jacket pours a golden brown liquid from an ornate terracotta-colour pot into a small white and gold china cup. They are resting the cup on a matching saucer, held in their other hand.

Image credit: University of Leeds, Special Collections & Galleries