New Writing North Gears Up for Ambitious Growth

New Writing North has had a huge transition of its board of trustees welcoming a new chair, vice chair, and three new trustees as the charity embarks on an ambitious phrase of growth.

The charity leads the development of creative writing and reading in the North of England. Based in Newcastle, the Arts Council Portfolio Organisation has developed new writing talent since 1996.

This summer, the charity announced it is leading a coalition of civic leaders, universities, and industry leaders to create a new centre for the writing industries of national import, based the Newcastle.

The campaign is part of its mission to help reposition the southern bias of the writing industries, and break down barriers to opportunity for people in the North.

The new chair of the charity’s board is Newcastle lawyer, Neil Warwick OBE, who is replacing the former CEO of Borders and Books etc. David Roche. The new vice-chair is editorial director for Reach’s North East, Humber and Yorkshire titles, Helen Dalby, replacing independent consultant, Dr Caroline Murphy.

Claire Malcolm MBE, Chief Executive of New Writing North, said: “We are hugely grateful for the invaluable work of David and Caroline who both reached the end of their terms on our board this September; they’ve played formative roles in developing our work and in building New Writing North’s strengths and resilience. They have been exceptional trustees.”

Claire added: “Neil and Helen join us at what promises to be an exciting next phase for our organisation. Neil’s skills are invaluable in our ambition to create a new centre for writing helping us negotiate the partnerships and relationships this requires and profiling our mission within the city.

“Helen understands the importance of great writing and the power that the written word has to transform people and places. It has been fantastic to work with her and her team at The Journal on our North East Now project through which we have commissioned 12 new essays about the North East as devolution happens. Building our partnerships with local news and media is very positive.”

New Writing North provides opportunities for people across society, through programmes, awards schemes, and activities designed to inspire and engage people with creative writing and reading. It also offers pathways to professional careers in the writing industries.

Neil Warwick OBE said: “I knew of the work of New Writing North as Claire and I served as trustees together at The Community Foundation for Tyne and Wear and Northumberland. The creativity and success of our writers is undeniably impressive and has reached international acclaim. However, equally impressive are the outreach programmes we run in some of the most under-privileged schools in the country and this aspect of our work is of particular interest to me.”

The charity’s portfolio includes producing the annual Durham Book Festival taking place this October in Durham for Durham City Council, with support from Durham University and Arts Council England. It supports new commissions, and this year presents the prestigious Forward Prizes for Poetry for the first time.

New Writing North delivers targeted talent development programmes, including the Northern Writers’ Awards, the Young Writers programme, and supports the new MA in Publishing with Northumbria University and Hachette UK. It also manages major international literary prizes, including the Gordon Burn Prize and the David Cohen Prize for Literature.

The new trustees to the board include Ted Hodgkinson, Head of Literature and Spoken Word at the Southbank Centre. He brings a wealth of literary and programming expertise to the board as the charity begins to expand its programme of literature events and festivals.

Liv Bird, currently studying for a literary PhD at Teesside University, also joins as a trustee. She has worked for Northumbria University Students’ Union and brings her expertise to help engage young people in New Writing North’s ongoing work with younger creatives in the region.

Maria Antoniou, an economic development specialist for Northumberland County Council, brings her expertise around public funding for skills, education, and capital development as a new trustee.

Since it launched in 1996, New Writing North has grown to a 20-strong team, led by founding Chief Executive, Claire Malcolm.

The charity works in partnership with major national organisations, including Channel 4, Sky, Hachette UK, Faber & Faber, local authorities, and universities. Its work includes industry-led teaching and research to inform best practice.

The new board members join its existing trustees who are architect Ian Crow, brand guru Matt Forster, psychotherapist and trainer Caroline Greenwood Dower, former communications director of Hachette UK Clare Harington, group communications director of Pan MacMillan Sara Lloyd, poet and editor Degna Stone, tech founder and entrepreneur, Hector Vidal, and treasurer, Gary Wright, Chief Operating Officer of the Great North Run.

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For further media info, please contact Ann: ann@causeuk.com m: 0753 489 2715.

New Writing North

New Writing North leads the development of creative writing and reading in the North of England. We are based in Newcastle upon Tyne, where we have produced nationally significant work since 1996.

We are proud to be a charity and an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.

We believe that writing talent is everywhere, but that opportunities are not. We work hard to both identify talent and create fantastic career-changing opportunities for people from across society.

We develop programmes and activities that inspire people to engage with creative writing and reading, whether this is to develop their skills and professional ambitions or for pleasure and wellbeing.

We help excellent writing find local, regional, national, and international audiences.

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