Mayor’s funding backs North East small venues and next generation of performers
Grassroots venues across the North East will be backed by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness’ £2.2 million Small Venues Fund.
Recognising the role venues play in local communities as well as the region’s cultural identity, the new fund is designed to help creative spaces thrive and grow.
Mayor Kim has created the fund to ease the rising pressures of running a venue and help protect the local places where North East talent takes its first steps.
Newcastle-based comedian, Lauren Pattison said:
“Small stages are a crucial creative stepping stone. We need small stages and venues to allow artists space to learn, develop and build an audience as they grow into those bigger stages that lie ahead. They're a launchpad for careers and an all-important place for local people to get behind their own and support local talent.”
Ben Humphrey, from The Straw Yard in Berwick upon Tweed, said:
“Venues are much more than performance spaces, they’re where communities are from, where people socialise, and where local culture actually lives. Small venues especially are a breeding ground for performers looking to develop their skills and experience and are therefore essential to the cultural ecosystem, not just locally, but nationally as well.
“It is hard for venues right now; rising prices means some venues are being forced to close and they can’t rely on audiences to sustain their operations. It is tragic, because without them, the North East loses part of its soul.”
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:
“Our incredible grassroots venues are under threat, yet they bring so much to our region. They’re places where artists perform for the first time, friends come together and memories are made.
“I want to see them thriving and that’s exactly what this fund is about. Protecting the places where our brilliant home-grown talent takes its first steps and legacies are started.
“This is just part of my plan to make sure culture thrives in the North East, from first gigs to big stages, to skills and training, to backing brilliant events that local people across the region can enjoy.”
The three-year fund will deliver grants from £3,000 to £100,000 to enable small venues in the region of up to 300 seated capacity (or c.500 standing) to invest in equipment and infrastructure, or boost revenue-making operations.
The fund has been shaped in partnership with the region's creative sector, with organisations including Generator working alongside the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority to help ensure investment responds to the needs of grassroots venues and the communities they serve.
Mick Ross, CEO at Generator said:
"Every headline artist, every award-winning comedian, every producer, technician and promoter starts somewhere. Grassroots venues are the R&D department of our creative industries. For years, Generator has worked alongside venues, artists and industry partners to champion the need for dedicated investment, making the case that these spaces are essential cultural infrastructure and vital to the future of our region.
“This fund is a landmark moment. It recognises that grassroots venues are essential to developing our pipeline of talent and without these amazing spaces to experiment, there will be fewer opportunities for people from every background to build careers on stage and behind the scenes. Investing in grassroots venues isn't just about protecting buildings - it's about backing the next generation of creative talent and securing the future of the North East's creative economy.
“Championing the North's creative infrastructure is why Generator exists. We'll continue to advocate, convene and make the case for the investment that gives talent, communities and creative businesses the opportunity to thrive."
The fund will be open for applications in the autumn with an initial £800,000 in grants available in the fund’s first year.