Capital Works
New centre for writing and publishing
New Writing North and Northumbria University are to create a centre for writing and publishing in Newcastle.
The centre will be a public building which will hold events and courses for writers based in the north. It will host programmes, courses, and events for professional and aspiring writers, for those who write purely for the love of it and for those who want to try creative writing for the first time.
It will be a place for communities across the region to engage with creative writing, literature and reading. The centre will mean growing New Writing North and furthering our ambition to nurture writers from across the region. We know that whilst talent is everywhere the opportunities are not.
The centre will strengthen Newcastle’s ambitions to become a national hub for writing and publishing and contribute to its growing status as a creative industries leader. The centre will be the first of its kind involving a cross-section of nationwide partners – from the arts, academia, media, and publishing industries – based in one, single dynamic site.
There will also be a dedicated space in the centre for Northumbria University students of English, Creative Writing, and Publishing. This will provide a unique experiential learning environment by connecting students to writers and the publishing industry.
The centre has received £5 million from Department for Culture, Media, and Sport as part of its Cultural Development Fund, £2.5 million from Northumbria University, £2 million from North East Combined Authority and £1 million from Newcastle City Council.
As well as significant funding from central and local government, the centre is a key part of North East Mayor Kim McGuinness’ Cultural Strategy, and backed by publishers including Hachette UK, Faber and Simon & Schuster.
If you have an enquiry about the centre for writing and publishing, please email [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Read our FAQs about the Centre for Writing and Publishing (PDF)