Ethnic minorities in the North East of England: let us speak about their demographics, cultural contributions, challenges, and initiatives to enhance their visibility and celebrate their achievements.
Demographics: Ethnic Diversity in the North East
The North East of England is among the UK's least ethnically diverse regions. According to the 2021 Census:
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White British individuals constitute 90.6% of the population.
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Asian or Asian British groups represent 3.6%, with notable communities of Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, and Chinese descent.
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Black or Black British individuals make up 1%, primarily of African heritage.
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Mixed and Other Ethnic Groups account for the remaining percentages .
Despite the smaller proportion compared to other regions, these communities have significantly enriched the cultural tapestry of the North East.
Cultural Contributions: Art, Heritage, and Creativity
Ethnic minority communities have made notable artistic and cultural contributions:
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South Asian Heritage: Artist Sofia Barton has highlighted South Asian cultural sites in the region, emphasizing their historical significance .
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Museums and Cultural Institutions: The North East Museums Impact Report 2023–24 showcases efforts to support local communities and heritage, including partnerships promoting free and low-cost family days out .
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Creative Sector: The region's creative industries play a crucial role in economic growth and cultural enrichment, with a vibrant network of artists, performers, and writers contributing to its identity .
Culinary Landscape: Food and Cultural Fusion
The North East's culinary scene reflects its diverse communities:
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South Asian Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi restaurants are prevalent, offering traditional dishes that have become integral to the local food culture.
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Middle Eastern and African Flavors: Increasingly, Middle Eastern and African eateries are introducing new flavors, enriching the region's gastronomic diversity.
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Ethnic Food Market: The UK's ethnic food market has seen growth, with cuisines like Indian, Middle Eastern, and Southeast Asian gaining popularity due to their rich vegetarian and vegan options .
Cultural Events and Festivals
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Community Events: Organisations like North East Museums and Out North East organise events that foster community engagement and celebrate cultural heritage .
Challenges Faced by Ethnic Minorities
Despite their contributions, ethnic minority communities face several challenges:
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Economic Disparities: The North East has the highest child poverty rates in England and Wales, with 38% of children living in poverty. In the most ethnically diverse local authority, this rate rises to 42.2% .
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Healthcare Access: Areas with higher proportions of ethnic minorities have worse access to GPs, with 29% fewer GPs per 100,000 patients compared to areas with higher white British populations .
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Racism and Discrimination: Tackling racism remains a significant challenge for businesses in the region, impacting economic opportunities and social cohesion .
Initiatives and Projects for Visibility and Inclusion
To celebrate the achievements of ethnic minorities in the North East we would like to work with local organisations tor provide more visibility to these groups through:
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Cultural Festivals: Organising annual multicultural festivals showcasing music, dance, art, and cuisine from various communities.
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Educational Programs: Develop school and community programs that educate about the histories and contributions of ethnic minorities.
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Support for Entrepreneurs: Provide grants and mentorship programs for minority-owned businesses to stimulate economic growth and representation.
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Artistic Collaborations: Encourage collaborations between artists from diverse backgrounds to create inclusive public art installations.
By acknowledging the rich cultural contributions and addressing the challenges faced by ethnic minorities, the North East can foster a more inclusive and vibrant community for all its residents.
We have worked on a project related to art identity and culture, where people expressed their feelings, fears, exclusion, racism and discrimination by painting or sculpting.
We have also produced the only website about Black contribution to the WW2 in the North East.
Participation in World Wars I & II
World War I
Over one million men from regions now associated with the UK's ethnic minority communities served in the First World War. These individuals, hailing from various parts of the British Empire, played crucial roles in different theatres of war. Unfortunately, their contributions have often been overlooked in mainstream historical narratives.
World War II
During the Second World War, the UK saw an unprecedented diversity in its population due to the influx of individuals from the Empire, Europe, and America. This diversity significantly influenced British wartime culture, although it has received limited attention in public memory.
Additionally, approximately 1.5 million American servicemen and women were stationed in Britain between 1942 and 1945. Among them were Black Americans who, facing segregation in their own military, experienced a different societal dynamic in Britain. Their presence highlighted contrasts between American institutional racism and British society's attitudes at the time.
Socio-Political and Environmental Contributions
Political and Social Engagement
Ethnic minority communities in the North East have been actively involved in various initiatives aimed at promoting inclusivity and social cohesion, but they are almost invisible and rare.
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North East Diversity, Education and Solidarity (NEDES): Focuses on advancing education in languages, culture, and tradition, while promoting social inclusion for individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Environmental Advocacy - The Challenges
Environmental challenges disproportionately affect ethnic minority communities:
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Air Pollution Disparities: Studies indicate that minoritised ethnic groups often reside in areas with higher levels of harmful emissions, leading to increased health risks.
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Climate and Nature Crises: People from ethnic minority communities are more affected by environmental crises due to systemic inequities, including limited access to green spaces and higher exposure to pollution. Race Equality Foundation
Educational Celebrations of Ethnic Diversity
Schools in the North East actively celebrate and promote cultural diversity through various events:
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Festival of Languages: An annual event that offers a wide range of free multilingual creative projects, events, and activities exploring world languages and cultures. In 2025, 93,798 children and young people from 428 schools participated, highlighting the festival's extensive reach and impact. expressyourselfne.com+4expressyourselfne.com+4northumberlandeducation.co.uk+4International Newcastle
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Northeast Festival of Language: This festival celebrates linguistic diversity by encouraging children to explore and express their affection for their mother tongue and other languages through poetry, fostering a deeper appreciation for cultural heritage. Education North Tyneside
These initiatives play a crucial role in fostering inclusivity and cultural awareness among young learners.
Projects for Future:
To enhance the visibility and celebrate the achievements of ethnic minorities in the North East, the following initiatives would like to be pursued by us, but we had never any support from grant-makers:
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Historical Exhibitions: Curate exhibitions that highlight the contributions of ethnic minorities during the World Wars, ensuring their stories are preserved and shared.
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Community Art Projects: Collaborate with local artists from diverse backgrounds to create public art installations that reflect the region's multicultural heritage.
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Environmental Programs: Develop community-led environmental initiatives that address the specific challenges faced by ethnic minority communities, promoting sustainability and inclusivity.
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Educational Workshops: Organise workshops in schools that focus on the histories, cultures, and contributions of various ethnic groups, fostering mutual respect and understanding among students.
We have been working in two main projects supporting ethnic minorities, in art and in heritage.
We have been celebrating ethnic minority art and creativity since Covid 19, starting with Zoom projects, where we met each week online, to learn about culture, issues and how can we work together.
This was a project supported by the Lottery Fund, Global Children Fund and Phoenix Fund, which has allowed us to do a research on minorities in County Durham and create a wellbeing project, completely free, where we send our minority groups packages with painting and sculpture materials.
We celebrated working together, using art and supporting each other, to celebrate culture and identity from minorities and to fight isolation and loneliness in adults.
The project included: participants receiving a set of materials for painting or sculpture at home, safely, Zoom group meetings every week, where we talked about several matters, show the progression of the artwork, discuss different approaches and what obstacles we faced.
We wanted to show that different people, from different cultures, and with different identities, are also lonely and isolated, but can get together and produce something wonderful!
Our Project about Black troops in the North East was created to showcase how much their contributions changed the region and many war aspects.
During the event of the WW2, England received a large number of people from ethnic minorities, not only during the war, but also afterwards. They have contributed heavily to the diversity of a country that, in many areas, never had seen a Black person, but this contribution was deleted, forgotten and never recovered.
In fact, most of it was buried or lost, which has been a source of grief for many Black people, as they could not celebrate their roots and identity, or feeling they were part of the country’s history and heritage.
The research revealed not only the impact of this troops’ presence, socially and historically, but also the advanced equipment that was created at the time, which required special skills. Moreover, it revealed structures, spaces, mechanisms, even buildings, that are embedded in the memory of local communities which was triggered by the research.
Much of this heritage is now gone, and what still remains is labelled as of high risk, because, being intangible, means that it existed linked to generations that has participated directly is now almost totally gone, families have been dispersed, and the objects that are/were part of that moment in history have disappeared, were destroyed and vanished, including equipment like the radar, the song performed by the Black troops or the calls from children engaging with the novelty of the Black military.
As for the tangible heritage, like buildings, trains, huts, etc., that has disappeared due to many reasons, it has left behind a sense of loss that was patent in every word and action from the communities that have participated from our previous research.
This project validated the contribution of those Black troops in the North, but also their engagement with local communities and the connections that were developed at that period in time, becoming part of the local heritage, culture and history.
It linked the richness of that presence, the community connections and the equipment that was cutting edge at the time, from the past to the digital technologies of the present, showcasing its multiple applications in different careers, and stimulating young minds to seek advancement of their education for the future.