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Emerging Creative Associates

Emerging Creative Associates is a 6-month development programme for early career creatives living in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland. The programme is designed to guide and support the next generation of writers and artists in the region. 

Over 6-months, participants will be supported to develop their practice through training, mentoring and networking. The package of support, worth more than £1,500 includes: 

  • A £500 bursary grant 
  • Access to a £500 individual fund to put towards bespoke development needs 
  • Three sessions with an industry mentor 
  • Group craft sessions and skills support

Who are we looking for?

The programme is designed to support writers or creatives who use writing in their practice. We are interested in hearing about how this programme could help you to develop your practice or work towards a particular milestone. We are not asking you to outline a project for which you require funding, but rather to think about your creative development as a whole. 

During the application, we will ask you about your work date and how you would use this opportunity to further your practice. We want to hear from the writers and artists in our region about what they need to succeed. With this in mind, we do not want to be overly prescriptive during the application process and invite you to tell us how you would benefit from Emerging Creative Associates.  

We are open to applications from artists of any age who consider themselves to be in the early or emerging stages of their creative career.

However, some examples of people who might apply include (but are not limited to): 

  • A writer interested in building a more sustainable portfolio career 
  • A writer working on a long-term project, e.g. a novel, memoir, or poetry collection 
  • A creative looking to incorporate a new element to their practice, e.g. spoken word poet interested in page poetry

What will be expected of me?

We will recruit the Emerging Creative Associate cohort in February 2025 and the programme will officially run from March – August 2025. 

You will be required to attend two in-person sessions in central Newcastle: 

  • Wednesday 5 March (afternoon)
  • Wednesday 7 May (afternoon)

Throughout the 6-months, you will receive three mentoring meetings. You will be expected to commit fully to the mentoring process, although this can be facilitated remotely to suit your needs.   

As well as the bespoke support you receive, Emerging Creative Associates is intended to be a network and a place to meet other artists in the region. You will be required to attend an evaluation meeting in August 2025 and will have further opportunities for informal mixers with the cohort. 

This programme is funded by the North of Tyne Combined Authority and Idlewild Trust. Due to local authority funding, you must be living in Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland.

How we've helped previous Emerging Creative Associates

  • Kym Deyn (The Braag)

    Kym Deyn is a writer and facilitator based in Newcastle. Their work is widely published in anthologies and magazines including Butcher’s Dog and Popshot, and was selected for the Primer’s Nine Arches scheme. In 2023, Kym received support to start up a publishing arm of The Braag CIC. The Braag Press now publishes poetry and speculative fiction while supporting emerging artists in the North East of England.

    Since 2023, The Braag has published the anthology Unfurl, a selected of poetry pamphlets and micro chapbooks, with further titles releasing 2024/25.

  • Ilisha Thiru Purcell

    Ilisha Thiru Purcell is is a poet based in and from Newcastle upon Tyne. In 2023, Ilisha received support to develop work inspired by classical Tamil love poetry with her mentor Shash Trevett. Following the programme, she was selected onto the Poets of Colour Incubator scheme. Her work has appeared in publications such as Popshot, The Butcher’s Dog and Dear Damsels.

    In November, Ilisha was shortlisted for the James Berry Poetry Prize 2024, run by Bloodaxe Books and Newcastle University.

Emerging Creative Associates 2024

  • Tahmina Ali

    Tahmina is an award winning British-Bangladeshi, Geordie spoken word poet, facilitator and creative practitioner. She has headlined poetry nights across the region and performed on large platforms such as the BBC and The Glasshouse.

  • Mymona Bibi

    Mymona is a Bengali-British writer, workshop facilitator and ESOL teacher in Newcastle, and a core member of the collective Brown Girls Write. She has performed spoken word poetry at Northern festivals such as NOVUM and Newcastle Fringe Festival and her writing has been featured in Lumpen Press and Corridor8.

  • Georgia Conlon

    Georgia is currently studying her MA in Writing Poetry at Newcastle University. She was shortlisted in the 2024 Aesthetica Creative Writing Award and her poetry has been published in journals including The North.

  • Joana Geronimo

    Joana is an Angolan actor, writer and theatre practitioner based in the North East. Acting credits include: From Home to Newcastle (Live Theatre); The Space Between Us (Open Clasp); HERE (Curious Monkey); The White Card (Northern Stage); OUT, OUT! (Alphabetti Theatre). Writing credits include OUT, OUT! (Alphabetti Theatre).

  • Samina Hamilton

    Sam Hamilton, based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, is a woman of colour, scientist, daughter, wife, and mother to two mixed heritage adult children. She has recently rediscovered a love of creative writing – both prose and poetry – through her membership of the collective Brown Girls Write.

  • Becky Howell

    Becky is an emerging writer of plays and short fiction and an alumni of the Royal Court Young Writers Programme. She mainly writes in the quiet horror genre. Since attending New Writing North’s Sounds Good: Page to Podcast course Becky has turned her attention to writing for audio and her current project is a fiction podcast using the true crime format.

  • Hendrika Seguro-Bigg

    Hendrika is a comedy writer and performer, focusing on character, sketch, and improvisation. She is the creator and host of Newcastle’s all-female comedy cabaret night, The Girlie Show.

  • Lauren Vevers

    Lauren Vevers is a writer and director from Newcastle upon Tyne. Their poetry and prose has been published by 3 of Cups Press and Popshot Magazine, among others. Their debut short film as a writer/director was funded by Film Hub North x BFI Network and screened at festivals internationally.

  • Danielle White

    Danni is from Newcastle, but has only been back since 2021 after spending 10 years in the south. She is a poet. She found out she was very neurodivergent in her 30s. She struggled with her sexuality late into her 20s, despite being firmly in the gay scene. She’s now working on a debut collection that explores northerness, queerness and neurodivergence.

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