A partnership bringing together a leading North East LGBTQ+ organisation, a community radio station and one of the region’s biggest shopping destinations has earned recognition with a prestigious award nomination.
OUT North East, the organisation behind Pride celebrations in Gateshead, Sunderland and South Tyneside, has developed a strong partnership with Metrocentre, which has supported its work through a range of community initiatives promoting inclusion and diversity.
And that relationship, which includes working alongside Pride Radio, has led to being shortlisted in the Best Arts & Business Partnership category in the North East Culture Awards.
The nomination celebrates the three year-long partnership between the organisations, which has led to a number of events including Pride takeovers at Metrocentre which has brought together retailers, creatives, musicians and performers to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
Other initiatives have included Top 40 Community Voices, which gave 40 charities and good causes the opportunity to have a radio campaign on Pride Radio, funded by Metrocentre.
The leading shopping centre also staged Emerald 55, OUT North East's thought provoking exhibition which explored what Pride in its wider sense meant to people in the region.
While Emerald 55 was very much centred around the North East, Metrocentre also gave houseroom to an international exhibition: Flag in the Map.
Delivered by ReportOUT and the Gilbert Baker Foundation, named after the man who designed the iconic rainbow flag, Flag in the Map showcased people's relationship with the Pride flag from across 50 countries.
Gavin Prior, Metrocentre Centre Director, said that being shortlisted alongside OUT North East and Pride Radio was “a real honour.”
“Our relationship has grown into something we're incredibly proud of, from our annual Pride takeovers, which bring retailers, creatives, musicians and performers together to celebrate our LGBTQ+ communities, to the Emerald 55 and Flag in the Map Exhibitions and, most recently, the fantastic Top 40 Community Voices initiative,” he said.
“At Metrocentre, we're committed to diversity and inclusion, and being a proud ally to our customers, retailers and their teams is something we take seriously. Working with OUT North East has helped us do that in a meaningful way, and it's been a joy to be part of such a vibrant, welcoming and inspiring collaboration.”
Peter Darrant, CEO of OUT North East, added that the relationship with Metrocentre has gone from strength to strength.
“For us, this partnership is about much more than individual events. It's about allyship, visibility and the incredible platform that one of the UK's leading retail destinations gives our charity and the communities we represent,” he said.
“It's also about Metrocentre's commitment to diversity and inclusion, demonstrating what it means to be a proud ally to its customers, retailers and their staff.”
The results of the awards will be revealed at an event at Stockton's Globe Theatre on 26 November.
