The Case for Culture (C4C) was a statement of ambition for a 15 year period from 2015 to 2030. Created from within the culture sector itself, it built on the strengths of the region’s diverse communities and highlighted opportunities for further investment in arts and heritage in the North East of England.
The C4C was developed by the North East Culture Partnership (NECP) – an organisation backed by the cultural sector, the region’s five universities, the further education sector, all twelve local authorities as well as national organisations such as Arts Council England, Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The C4C represented the region speaking in one coherent voice. It had many purposes, including:
The C4C aimed to encourage people to see investment in culture as more than just a cost, but as a way to stimulate further growth in the region and beyond.
The North East Culture Partnership was made up of practitioners, local authorities, universities, colleges, businesses and voluntary organisations across the North East of England to champion, promote and support the arts and heritage sectors in the region and internationally.
The NECP was launched in 2013 to support and develop the north east’s cultural offer. The group saw an opportunity to build upon the commitment and enthusiasm of the region for its culture and heritage, champion its development as well as proactively support the economic, social and creative growth in the North East.
After studying in the region and working as an artist for some ten years Matthew joined Northern Arts, Arts Council England in 1998. He fulfilled various roles, such as Visual Arts Officer, Senior Manager and director of in-house public art agency Commissions North.
In 2010, Matthew took on an International Partnerships Manager role at the North East England Office, Brussels. After leaving Art Council England in 2013 Matthew established his own cultural consultancy, developing public art commissions with private sector clients around the UK and curating a number contemporary art exhibitions in China. In 2013 Matthew started managing the North East Culture Partnership within the Association of North East Councils.
Between 2014 and 2021 Matthew Curated Cheeseburn Sculpture in Northumberland and is currently Curating the North East Emerging Artists Prize at Seaton Delaval Hall and developing Middlethorpe Sculpture Gardens in York, and has a Visiting Professor role at Newcastle University. Matthew has been a board member with Theatre Hullabaloo, Land of Oak and Iron and the Royal Society of British Sculptors.
Originally from Dorking, Surrey, Teresa graduated in Cell Biology and Biochemistry at the University of York, before spending two years as a PhD immunology student at University College London. On moving to the North East with her husband in 1988, she took her career in a different direction, helping a local authority, a university, voluntary sector organisations and businesses in Newcastle secure over £100m of European funding.
In 2012 was appointed as the Development Coordinator with Tyne and Wear Archives and Museum, before moving to Newcastle City Council as an Economic Adviser. Then, in 2015, Teresa embarked on a portfolio career – combining the role of a part-time Partnership Manager at the North East Culture Partnership, with various roles in Economic Development in Newcastle City Council until 2024. At NECP, Teresa takes the lead on the international, financial, and statistical portfolios.
Teresa has won a national writing competitions for her poetry and short stories and was a finalist in the Literary and Philosophical Society’s Classics Fest in 2024 and 2025. Teresa is now a writing mentor with Live Tales at the Live Theatre.
Originally from Sunderland, Ruth left the region for university. Ruth then worked in London for the BBC, primarily in cultural programming, with a short spell at Radio Cleveland. She left the BBC and worked on the launch of Classic FM before moving to the United States with her husband, where she worked in the BBC New York Office, mainly providing cultural content for domestic and world service radio programmes. In 2002-2002 Ruth studied Arts Management at The State University of New York, taking up a position at Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, Katonah, New York, an historic house museum and outdoor performance venue.
Ruth returned to the UK in 2002, working at The Sage Gateshead, now The Glasshouse, and then The Bowes Museum. More recently she worked at Durham Cathedral and has trained as a North East England Blue Badge Tourist Guide – passing written and practical exams on the tourism offer of the North East, which includes the amazing built, natural and people-based heritage and the region’s arts offer. Ruth now has a portfolio career that includes her part-time role as Partnership Manager for the North East Culture Partnership where she takes the heritage lead.
