Significant Ink: Newcastle

Significant Ink: Newcastle is a writer development and outreach programme for global majority writers based in and around Newcastle upon Tyne.  

Presented in partnership with Northern Stage, Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle Libraries and The John Marley Centre. This project has been funded in part by North East Combined Authority and the Curtin PARP Fund at Community Foundation North East.

Significant Ink offers an award to three selected writers who are part of the global majority and live in Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland. They receive £1000 to support their writing, tailored mentoring, peer-support and development sessions with partners.

The programme is funded by the Community Foundation and the North East Combined Authority, and Arts Council England.

Significant Ink 2025 Awardees

Jessica Chen

Jessica Chen is a writer of fantasy fiction based in Newcastle. As a long-time obsessive of Chinese epics, she loves to share stories inspired by her culture. Her writing often explores themes of identity and empowerment, heavily influenced by her own journey toward embracing her heritage as a young immigrant. Her winning work-in-progress follows the story of a conman who is mistaken for an infamous assassin and pulled into a perilous gang war set in reimagined 1930s Shanghai. When she’s not writing, Jess can be found making/devouring treats, practising yoga by the beach, or cuddling her cats.

“I’m so grateful to win a Significant Ink award. To know that others have enjoyed my work and want to support me in reaching the next milestone really means the world. Thank you, New Writing North!”
Ali Choudhary

Ali Choudhary is a writer, poet and multi-disciplinary artist exploring the poetics of violence and intimacy. He is the recipient of the Eavan Boland Award, and was shortlisted for the Tempest Prize, part of the Northern Writers’ Awards. Ali is looking forward to developing a project on documentary poetics and folklore, as well as a novel exploring erotic transgression
Claire Mi-Son Hennon

Claire Mi-Son Hennon is a former journalist who took up writing for children in lockdown. She has written for local papers and national magazines as well as working for a South Korean TV News station as a writer and editor. She recently placed third for the I Am Writing competition for her Middle Grade book. Growing up in Newcastle but with family in South Korea, Claire’s writing explores themes of mixed identity, family and friendship. When she’s not writing, Claire likes to go paddle boarding with her family along the North East coast.

“I am so excited to develop my writing with a mentor and really push my manuscript forward. Just winning has already given me the confidence to go full steam ahead and submit my work to agents.”

In June, we ran four workshops across Newcastle for global majority writers with any level of writing experience. These were:

Writing Poetry with Papi Jeovani at Alphabetti Theatre
Life Writing with Nadine Aisha Jassat at John Marley Centre
Screenwriting with Emily Low at Northern Stage
Writing Fiction with Juliana Mensah at East End Library and Community Hub

Significant Ink Producer

Emily Low

Emily is a performer, writer and storyteller based in the Tyne Valley. Her first commission Fold Me a Paper Man was staged at Alphabetti Theatre in 2024. Emily has performed in sketches and clown shows with her friends at Soreslap Theatre and the Good Name Cabaret as well as filming in a major production this summer. Emily won a Channel 4 Writing for TV Award in 2024, and was selected to join the Live Playwriting community to develop a full length play. When she’s not dressing up and telling stories, you can find Emily wandering through the magical forests of the NE with her young family.