£10.5m investment to establish North East Centre for Writing and Publishing
Building on one of the North East Combined Authority’s key areas of investment for the region, it is teaming up with Northumbria University to establish the creative hub in Newcastle.
The centre, a partnership with the charity New Writing North, has already received £5m from the government’s Cultural Development Fund and £1m from Newcastle City Council.
Now, Northumbria University has committed £2.5m, with a further £2m to come from NECA, set for approval later this month, taking total funding to £10.5m.
The intended location is the grade-two listed Old Post Office on St Nicholas Street, subject to approval. The building underwent a £5.8m renovation in 2016 and was used as offices until it was put on the market by NBS in July last year.
The 31,000 sq ft building is currently listed as under offer, at a price of £3.95m.
Scheduled to open in 2029, the centre would aim to bring together writers, publishers, students, academics, and creative businesses under one roof, offering career-focused opportunities in publishing outside London.
Plans include housing Northumbria’s English, Creative Writing, and Publishing courses, start-up and commercial publishers, an audiobook studio, creative spaces for TV and film, a café, independent bookshop, and event facilities.
The investment aims to strengthen the North East’s creative sector, attract inward investment, and boost the local economy, positioning Newcastle as a national and international leader in writing and publishing.
It comes shortly after NECA’s additional £11m commitment to the Crown Works Studio in Sunderland, which is also part of the Combined Authority’s aim to create jobs for the region through the creativity sector.
Professor Andy Long, vice-chancellor and chief executive of Northumbria University said: “The creative industries are one of the eight priority sectors in the government’s Industrial Strategy and a key focus for Skills England – and the Centre for Writing and Publishing is a flagship project that puts Northumbria University and the North East at the heart of that national ambition.
“The University is committed to investing in things that make a difference. The Centre will provide Northumbria students with exceptional opportunities for experiential learning, projects, placements and networking with commercial and independent publishers, cultural and creative arts organisations and independent writers and artists.
“It will open doors for careers in the publishing industry and beyond, further evidence of Northumbria’s commitment to ensuring all students graduate with the skills, connections and confidence needed for their future careers.”
North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness said: “We have so many creative talents in the North East but for too long there haven’t been the opportunities they deserved. I have promised to fix that.
“This week we have confirmed groundbreaking projects that will establish the North East as a powerhouse for creative industries, providing our young people with world-class opportunities to develop their talents and their careers right here in the region.
“With this investment, we will take a step closer to securing a home for the Centre and opening the doors to opportunities for the next generation of writers, publishers and creatives that will share our region’s stories.”
