We believe that in order to thrive we need strong narratives and stories, which help shape our collective imagination. We believe that the North East needs new narratives to tell its story and to help shape its future.
In late 2019, we launched the call-out for New Narratives of the North East, a major commissioning strand for new work across genres.
The project was announced following massive political events for the region, including the Brexit vote and the 2019 General Election. The commissions were made during a global pandemic in which areas of the North East have been amongst the worst hit in Britain.
Yet, the 15 writers are asked to look beyond the flux and rhetoric of the current moment to capture something deeper and more lasting about the contemporary North East and its people.
The work will be presented in a variety of forms from autumn 2020, including as essays, films, podcast episodes, and as part of a special digitally-focused Durham Book Festival, before being collected in an anthology to be published in 2021. You can find all of the New Narratives series including the podcast episodes published by Durham Book Festival here.
New Narratives for the North East is created by New Writing North for the North East Culture Partnership and is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, Durham Book Festival, and Arts Council England.
