Mayor backs new Centre for Writing to become North East creative powerhouse

Plans to open a new national centre for writing will take a big step forward next week as North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and her cabinet prepare to agree £2m in funding for the project, which will create new opportunities and careers for local people in the creative industries.

The funding will go towards the purchase of a permanent home for the centre, attracting national publishing businesses to the North East, and acting as a focal point for the next generation of northern writers.

Backed by the North East Mayor and North East Combined Authority, New Writing North, Northumbria University and Newcastle City Council, the Centre for Writing has also received support from local businesses and some of the country’s largest publishers - a shared ambition to grow the region’s creative economy and support writers at every stage.

The Centre will support writing and reading initiatives in the community as well as professional writers and publishing businesses across the region. It will be the first centre of its kind with a cross-section of partners from the arts, academia, media and publishing industries.

North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness said: “We have incredible creative talent in the North East, but for too long they have had to travel out of the region to seek opportunity and work.

“This groundbreaking project will establish the North East as a powerhouse for creative industries, providing our young people with world-class opportunities to develop their talents right here at home.

“The benefits and impact of this new centre are going to be far reaching – from upskilling the next generation of writers, publishers and creative professionals, to creating high-skilled jobs right across the creative industry.”

Claire Malcolm, CEO, New Writing North, said: “The North East Mayor and North East Combined Authority are true champions of the creative industries. They see the creative potential and talent in our region. Opening a Centre for Writing in Newcastle will be a huge opportunity for the North East to become a national hub for writing and publishing, an industry still dominated by London-based companies. The centre will build on all the work New Writing North have done with writers and communities over many years and our strong relationships with industry partners including global publisher Hachette UK.  The power of this major project is in the partners we have working together to make a long-held dream a reality."

Cllr Karen Kilgour, Leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “Newcastle’s creative industries are booming, and it is an incredible time for our city and the wider region. Whether it’s hosting the MOBOs, Mercury Prize, Magic Weekend or the Euros, we are putting culture at the heart of our local economy.

“Not only will a Centre for Writing help support talented residents in every corner of Newcastle, it will also provide a huge economic boost to the economy of our entire city region, creating jobs, growth and opportunity for all. We are long term supporters of this project and welcome this investment from Mayor McGuinness and the North East Combined Authority.”

Dan Monnery, Pro Vice-Chancellor (External Affairs), Northumbria University, said: “As a research intensive university committed to driving social mobility and supporting our graduates into highly skilled jobs, Northumbria University is proud to support the Centre for Writing. It is a huge opportunity to marry experiential learning, skills development and research in support of creative and economic success and we are delighted to see this game-changing project take another significant step forward."

The Centre for Writing will be a first of its kind, bringing together a range of partners, organisations, and creative fields into one single site, unlocking local talent, improving collaboration and providing industry opportunities.

New Writing North will be able to use the centre to extend the reach of their existing programmes, allowing more people to get into creative writing, whilst Northumbria University will also have exclusive use and space within the centre, embedding their students alongside established and upcoming publishers and professionals.