£30,000 Foyle Foundation cash boost for North East writers and creatives
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We are delighted to announce that we have received £30,000 from The Foyle Foundation to support our Writing and Publishing Skills Hub – funded by the North of Tyne Combined Authority’s Skills for Growth programme.
The funding will help us to support 50 writers and creatives over the next year. The money comes as part of The Foyle Foundation’s commitment to encouraging new work and emerging artists, freelancers, and independent practitioners.
Our projects supported by The Foyle Foundation include: Inkubator, Emerging Creative Associates, Creative Associate residencies, North East Poets, and First Edition groups.
Inkubator is an annual development programme for writers and freelancers who want to develop their skills in facilitation and participatory arts practice with children, young people, and adults.
As announced this week, we are working with a new group of ten North East-based writers. Each writer receives training, mentoring, and a paid shadowing placement on one of our Young People and Communities programmes.
Today, we also announced the Emerging Creative Associates for 2024. Emerging Creative Associates is a six month development programme for early career freelance writers. We will be supporting nine talented writers to develop their artistic practice, with a bursary and industry mentor, as well as meeting as a network for skills and craft sessions. Meet our 2024 Emerging Creative Associates.
More exciting programmes are to come throughout the year. In May, we open applications for our Creative Associate residencies, where creatives from Newcastle, North Tyneside, and Northumberland can access £5,000 towards a new creative project. Past successes of our Creative Associate programme include the creation of Brown Girls Write and Threads in the Ground.
This summer, we are also recruiting for our new professional development group, North East Poets. The journey of developing your writing doesn’t end with the publication of your first pamphlet, or even when you’re publishing your first or second collection. This group will offer continuing craft development and a supportive network for poets navigating the next step in their career. Applications open 28 May.
The Foyle Foundation grant will also support our group for 18-25 year olds, First Edition. First Edition is a space for young people interested in creative careers and opportunities, with regular masterclasses and opportunities for paid work experience in the creative industries. More paid work placements will become available in late 2024.
The Foyle Foundation was formed to implement the will of the late Christina Foyle. She was the daughter of William Foyle who, with his brother, founded the former family-owned bookshop, Foyles, in Charing Cross Road, London.
Find out about more opportunities for writers offered by the Skills Hub here.