North East Mayor Kim McGuinness targets 10,000 jobs in 10-year culture plan

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has launched her Plan for Culture, Creative Industries, Heritage and Sport, which aims to create 10,000 jobs across the region’s cultural and creative sectors within a decade.

The plan also aims, before 2036, to help over 8,000 businesses and freelancers scale up, to stage over 900 events, 10 of them major events, and to attract over 10 million visitors to events and cultural venues in the region.

The 2026-2036 Culture, Creative Industries, Heritage and Sport Strategic Framework was shaped by industry partners from across the region. It explains how the North East MSA intends to grow the four sectors over the next 10 years through its powers, investment and influence, and seeks to bring partners in the North East behind the same goals.

It builds on the region’s heritage, which ranges from UNESCO World Heritage sites to music and arts venues of national importance. The goals are to create jobs and to bring growth, investment and recognition, to develop skills and talent, and to widen access, engagement and participation.

McGuinness said: “For too long, talented people have had to look to the capital for good careers, and we’re changing that, creating opportunities for local people, here in the region.

“We’re already backing our creative sector, from funding new training opportunities and supporting venues to building film studios in Sunderland. This is about creating more opportunities for young people, more support for talent, more events, more visitors, and more reasons to be proud of where we live. Not just for artists, athletes, or creatives… for everyone.”

£104m of investment

Behind the strategy is £104m of sector investment that was announced earlier this year.

Part of it is the North East Mayor’s Small Venues Fund, which opened in June with £2.2m for the region’s arts, culture and music venues.

The £11m Mayor’s Events Fund made possible a run of summer events, among them BBC Radio One’s Big Weekend, Newcastle Pride and Durham Book Festival.

The £38m Crown Works Studios development has also reached another milestone, with Sunderland Council approving planning.

Councillor Sanderson, leader of Northumberland County Council and North East Cabinet Member for Home to a Growing and Vibrant Economy, said: “The North East is full of talent, it’s full of wonderful institutions from big museums to small grassroots venues, all places where creativity, culture and leisure flourish. This is bringing together everything that’s already great about our region, and empowering the next great ideas. But it isn’t just a framework, £104m investment is already making a difference to people’s lives.”

Work co-commissioned with the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre will add to the region’s evidence base, so that practical evidence can guide future funding decisions.