We’ve pledged £3.5m to bring more big ticket events to the North of Tyne.
This Events Fund is part of a broader investment of £20m in the region’s creative, digital and tourism-based future. It will bring more events like the Rugby World Cup, Tour of Britain Cycle Race, and Mouth of Tyne Festival to Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland.
Cllr Peter Jackson, North of Tyne cabinet member for place and productivity, said: “It’s the first time Northumberland, Newcastle, and North Tyneside will have a dedicated fund of this kind. We work incredibly hard to promote our region, and we are justifiably proud of all we have to offer. This will help showcase to visitors our art, culture, heritage and innovation, and to encourage residents to explore our wonderful city, countryside and coast.”
In addition to securing major international cultural and sporting highlights, this money will be used to promote smaller-scale independent events such as food and drinks festivals.
North of Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll Mayor Driscoll praised the “innovative, ambitious” work done to shape the proposal and thanked the businesses and organisations who were involved.
“I remember standing in the crowd watching the Tour of Britain cross the finish line in Newcastle and thinking ‘we should have more of this’,” Mayor Driscoll said. “The success of that event was a testament to the hard work done across all of the North of Tyne, from the people who were closing roads and looking after people’s safety to the pubs and BnBs who welcomed our visitors. It was a major international event; it brought a four-and-a-half million pound boost to our economy and it put us in the shop window across the world.”
The events fund will be used to secure and promote a year-round series of events to highlight the incredible diversity of activities and experiences in the region – from Hadrian’s Wall to our music venues. Included in the £20m is £10 million to boost digital industries and innovation and cash for three new Culture and Creative Zones, to ensure our creative businesses have the space they need to promote collaboration and learning.