After temporarily stepping back from its leadership role at Film Hub North in July 2020, Tyneside Cinema will not return as a lead organisation during the current funding period of the Hub. This change has been mutually and amicably agreed by Tyneside Cinema, HOME, Showroom Cinema and our funders at the BFI.

The review into Tyneside Cinema, published in October 2020, confirmed that there were serious failings in the organisation’s working culture and HR practices. Addressing these failings is a matter of priority, and it is appropriate that Tyneside Cinema steps away from its Hub leadership role at this time.

Leadership of Film Hub North will continue to lie with HOME and Showroom Cinema. Employment of the Hub team has passed from Tyneside Cinema to HOME as of 1 March 2021.

The Hub remains committed to supporting film culture right across the North of England. We retain three full-time staff based in Newcastle upon Tyne and want to emphasise that exhibitors and filmmakers in the North East will not be adversely affected by this change to Hub leadership.

We reiterate that film culture should be inclusive, welcoming and safe. And we encourage all those working in film to consult the BFI’s principles and guidance for tackling and preventing bullying, harassment and racism in the screen industries.

Monday, 1 March

In response to a number of reports concerning HR processes and staff welfare at Tyneside Cinema, the BFI has asked Tyneside Cinema to temporarily step back from its leadership role at Film Hub North.

These reports have prompted an independent review into the working culture at Tyneside Cinema. Film Hub North will only resume its working relationship with Tyneside Cinema pending a conclusion to this review that is satisfactory to staff and stakeholders.

The Hub continues to operate, and our team is still working on behalf of the North’s film exhibition and filmmaking sectors. We are supported in this work by our leadership partners: HOME and Showroom Cinema, who will take directorate responsibility for Film Hub North from this point forward. The welfare of Hub staff is our priority and will not be compromised during this period of altered working practices. We will also strive to ensure that the organisations and individuals we work with experience no interruption to the support we provide.

Film culture should be inclusive, welcoming and safe. At Film Hub North, we work to make this a reality through our audience development activity via the BFI Film Audience Network and our talent development activity via BFI NETWORK.

These efforts are informed by the principles and guidance for preventing bullying and harassment in the screen industries commissioned by the BFI and supported by organisations across the UK. We encourage all screen industry employers to review these documents for more information on their obligation to provide a safe working environment and advice on how to achieve this. We also encourage all screen industry employees to review these documents for further information regarding their rights to safety, dignity and respect.