A collaboration between Nexus and Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums (TWAM) to make school holiday activities affordable for families across the Metro system has won a North East Culture Award.
Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, and TWAM took the top prize for Best Arts and Business Partnership at the glittering ceremony held in Durham Cathedral.
Ways to Play is a programme of free family activities in school holidays across TWAM’s nine museums and art galleries. It is sponsored by Nexus and encourages families to use Metro’s Take the Kids for Free initiative to travel to the museum.
As partners TWAM and Nexus were aiming to play a role in tackling some of the inequalities caused by poverty by making visits to museums and galleries more convenient and affordable and breaking down barriers to inclusivity.
Huw Lewis, Customer Services Director at Nexus, said: “This North East Culture Award is fitting recognition for what’s been an amazing link up between Metro and local museums to promote affordable family days out.
“We’re delighted at the number of families who made most of great value trips on the services we operate. We wanted to be a key part of helping families get out and about, in an extremely affordable way.
“Our free travel promise applies all day, every day, and we’re reminding people of the opportunities Metro provides as a great value way of enjoying the attractions in our region.
"We think Take the Kids For Free has also brought brand new customers to Metro, who now enjoy the convenience, great value and sustainability of public transport, as well as great days out with their families.”
Museum footfall and passenger numbers have both increased since the partnership began. Museum footfall is up 20% and there has been an increase in the percentage of people visiting with children at most of Tyne and Wear Archives and Museum venues – the most notable increases were at Stephenson Steam Railway where family visits were up 19% compared to 2019-20 and South Shields Museum & Art Gallery where family visits increased by 11% compared to 2019-20.
At Discovery Museum in Newcastle, where family visits account for 73% of overall visits, the percentage of visitors from lower socio-economic backgrounds increased by 10% (to 40%), since introducing Ways to Play and promoting free travel for under 11s on the Metro.
Keith Merrin, Director of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, said: “This award recognises how much more can be achieved when working in partnership with another organisation with similar values and objectives. Both TWAM and Nexus want to support and develop our family market and with the worrying statistic that 38% of children in the North East are living in poverty, the highest in the country, we believe that together we can break down costly barriers for families so that they can enjoy cultural experiences and days out.”