Newcastle has a vibrant arts scene and a growing reputation for creative and cultural power.
Newcastle City Council’s £1.7 million programme to develop a creative and cultural zone, Creative Central NCL, aims to transform the city into a thriving destination for creative careers by providing workspace, skills development and networking for artists and entrepreneurs.
This work is supported by two nationally regarded talent development agencies, New Writing North and Generator North East, whose programmes have uncovered some of the best and brightest writers and musicians in the UK. Generator has entered into a joint venture with global major EMI Records to fund development deals for new artists.
TV and film is also on the rise in the city thanks to a £25 million commitment on commissioning spend from the BBC and the establishment of North East Screen, an agency dedicated to attracting more screen productions to the region.
At the other end of the screen industry, Newcastle boasts the fourth largest video game cluster in the UK, with significant creative innovation in games development, immersive technology, AR, VR and eSports. This thriving gaming ecosystem adds more diversity to the cultural landscape and further solidifies Newcastle’s emergence as an international creative hub.
The city’s cultural status and global brand is also propelled by the success of Newcastle United Football Club, which has experienced a remarkable turnaround both on and off the pitch following a £350 million takeover in 2021.
The club attracts significant sports tourism to the region and this increased exposure contributes to Newcastle’s cultural influence in the UK and overseas.
More business tourism is also set to come to Newcastle and neighbouring Gateshead as a £350 million investment is brought forward to develop The Sage Arena and International Conference Centre.
The 12,500-capacity arena will bring an estimated 1 million additional visitors to the region and will stimulate investment in £2 billion worth of development opportunities along the south bank of the River Tyne.
Beyond investment, Newcastle is a creative and cultural superpower, underpinned by trailblazing development agencies like North East Screen, Generator and New Writing North, which are nurturing creative entrepreneurs, and Champions League football team Newcastle United, which is growing the city’s global brand.
