Centre for Writing will 'support forgotten North'

Kim McGuinness has called for arts council funding to be developed to a regional level

The creation of a new £11m writing centre will help bridge the funding gap between "forgotten" artists in northern England and those living in the south, a mayor has said.

The government signed off millions of pounds of funding in January for the Centre for Writing, which will be based in Newcastle.

It will aim to provide opportunities and careers in the creative industries for those living in north-east England.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said the North East Combined Authority (Neca) wanted to support "home-grown talent" but said funding for the region's art sector had been outpaced by that in the south for some time.

"There is not enough national money – we do seem to have been a bit forgotten about up here," she said.

Think tank IPPR North said its analysis had found a £450m "culture chasm" between London and the North of England, which had added to a "vicious cycle of regional inequality".

"It is unbelievable that this is happening in this day and age," McGuinness said.

'Bold step'

Leaders hope the Centre for Writing will cement the region as a hub for writing and literature and attract big-name publishers to the area, as well as supporting Newcastle's Seven Stories and The National Centre for the Written Word in South Shields.

Neca will acquire a Newcastle property to house the centre, which will then be run by Tyneside-based charity New Writing North and Northumbria University, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The Department for Culture Media and Sport has confirmed it will provide £5m towards the Centre for Writing, while Northumbria University is set to provide £2.5m in funding.

Neca said it would provide £2m and Newcastle City Council is expected to provide £1m. It is hoped the remaining £850,000 will be secured through additional grants.

Newcastle City Council deputy leader Alex Hay said the creation of the centre was a "bold step" for the region's creative industries.

"This is more than just a building – it is about growing jobs, attracting investment and giving people of all ages a way into the creative industries, ensuring the North East has a strong voice in UK culture," he said.

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