Two of the region’s leading organisations offering young people opportunities to explore and develop their creative writing.

Come and find the answer to those pressing questions: Who can I share my writing with in a safe, inclusive environment? How can I become a better writer? How do I go about starting a career as a writer? Can I just come and write for fun? Where now? What next?

Meet writers who have taken part in our programmes, hear them performing their work, get a taste of what we get up to in writing workshops and activities. Grab the chance to ask anything you want about writing and what we can offer you!

Or are you someone who works with young writers – a teacher, carer – or maybe you you know someone who writes? This event is for you too!

First Story provides young people experiencing disadvantage with enriching extracurricular creative writing activities and cultural experiences that foster their creativity, confidence, ability and talent. Their flagship programme places inspiring professional writers in residence in non-selective secondary schools in low-income communities.

Writers work intensively with a consistent group towards publication of a printed anthology. Their regular events, competitions and resources for teachers complement our core provision. Participants develop their unique voices and learn to tell their own stories with confidence and skill and have access to a variety of opportunities for progression.

The Writing Squad provides workshops, 1-1 support and investment for young writers. Their free two year programme is for writers aged 16-21 who live, work or study in the North of England. After that they continue to offer writers support as they begin their careers, helping them establish themselves as artists, linking them with the literature industry and independent sector, while encouraging them to produce and distribute work themselves.

The support is rigorous, long term shaped by the constant renewal of their needs, ambitions and circumstances. The Squad works with all genres and are building a community of artists who make new work together and support each other’s development.