New Writing North

Who we are

A great organisation in which to share your skills and creativity

Would you like to come and work for the North’s leading literature development agency and play a part in supporting great projects such as the Northern Writers’ Awards, Durham Book Festival and our award-winning work with young people?

We’re a small organisation with a dedicated, creative team, supported by a great board of trustees. Based in Newcastle upon Tyne, we work to support writers and literature across the North of England. An organisation is only as strong as its people, and we look after our staff with training and professional development opportunities, flexible working and a contributory pension scheme. You’ll be given responsibility and encouraged to develop your skills from day one. We’re an open and friendly bunch and we think New Writing North is a great place to work.

We believe that all writers should have the opportunity to tell their stories and we work with under-represented communities to help make this happen. We would like our workforce to better reflect the diverse communities in which we work.

Our culture and values

Vision

Writing is a powerful tool that can change the way we think, help us to examine the world around us, and deepen empathy and connection. Writers craft the stories that shape us. Our work has a positive influence on social justice, the climate crisis and civic dialogue, and raises the voices of young people and those whose experiences and ideas are not yet heard in the mainstream. We recognise that to do our work we may need to take risks, to be pre-disposed to action, to learn by doing, and, if necessary, disrupt the systems that have perpetuated inequality. We aim to make the North a centre of excellence for literature by creating a physical centre for writing in Newcastle upon Tyne. This will rebalance the national picture of who gets to write and publish, while helping to regenerate our city.

Mission

Our mission is to bring people together through writing, reading and engaging in ideas, deepening mutual understanding and encouraging creative habits. We find and support talented people from all backgrounds to access creative opportunities and to enable them to flourish.

Values

We are relationship builders. Whether working one-to-one with a writer or in partnership with a large institution, relationships are our greatest asset. We pride ourselves on being good partners. We take a human-centred approach and work with people in a way that meets their individual needs.   

We are a learning organisation. We like learning new things, both as individuals and as a team. We’ll learn from our experiences, listen, respond and adapt. We will be candid with each other and our partners and be courageous in holding each other to account to improve what we do.  

Our creativity and leadership go hand-in-hand. We are energised by new ideas and are not afraid to take creative risks and strike ahead of the pack. We see ourselves as creatives and leaders, and we encourage those that work with us to feel the same.