Poet Jackie Kay: ‘I could have been brought up by Tories!’ | Jackie Kay | The Guardian come and hear me talk with Jackie about this brilliant book ⁦⁦Hexham Book Festival⁩ theguardian.com/books/2024/apr…

Dear Hull, our worries are existential ⚠️

A message from Middle Child's artistic director and CEO, Paul Smith: bit.ly/4aNOaAX

'Working out how to create a more egalitarian world is hard. It’s easier to point to some white yoga woman saying namaste and demand that her arse gets handed to her'. theguardian.com/books/2024/apr…

Three weeks today the North East of England elects its first mayor. Here’s my piece from last year on why I’m optimistic that this can make a difference to a place that’s had a difficult last 100 years … unherd.com/2023/01/the-no…

There are just five days left to apply for the Children's Books North Mentoring Scheme! If you are based in the North of England or Scotland and interested in a career in publishing and would benefit from advice from industry professionals, you should apply!

I don't even know where to start with how many flaws there are in this argument. This kind of broken logic and narrow thinking is what is driving this country to terminal decline.

A while back I was contacted by the English Department at the University of Milan, who were studying Saturday Night, Sunday Morning and were planning a trip to Nottingham to see where it is set. Could I guide them? Yeah, Ok. I assumed I'd walk them to Canning Circus...

Week six in post and ready to welcome some new talent to Tyneside Cinema . Excited to be hiring and pathing a new era for this incredible cultural venue . Come and work with me , I’m a half decent boss 😊

Sure Start works. Any parent, anyone working with children or families will tell you that.

We need them back.

As North East mayor I’ll back a new era of Sure Start because as ⁦Gordon Brown⁩ says, the results are ‘life transforming’. bbc.co.uk/news/education…

Our Berwick Start Writing course kicks off this Saturday!

If you need some structure and accountability to give your writing a boost, join our 6 week series of workshops for just £35. Open to all, regardless of experience – share with your friends!

newwritingnorth.com/event/start-wr…

Do read the Mark O’Connell book if you haven't yet, it's stunning.

April 10 is the last Hachette Books John Murray Press Sheffield Draft Night while we switch nights. Join us for a night of new writing. For a 3-5 min. reading slot, msg me bit.ly/Sheffield_draf… Comma Press🍉 #CeasefireNow Commonword New Writing North NorthernGravy Off the Shelf Festival of Words And Other Stories

A pleasure to interview Katherine Greenwood today about the economic imperative of ensuring more working class people gain senior roles in publishing and Katherine's fascinating research into contemporary writing by and about working class people. Coverage in The Yorkshire Post soon!

Really enjoying travelling through 'conspiracy land' with Marianna Spring. Come and find out more when we are in conversation Hexham Book Festival later this month.

The best thing on telly ❤️

Looking forward to being in Edinburgh, speaking at one of the most beautiful bookshops 🧡

Creative Industries make up 6% of our economy. That’s more than car and oil industries together. They employ 2.3million people. To cut funding for creative arts at university level is fudge-brained, cack-hearted thinking pitched very much at the highest level of economic…

'Smell the pritt stick' 😂 boy, do these guys need some creative design - you know, that stuff they don't want you to study.

Whenever there’s an attack on arts degrees I mention this;
I have a degree in law and masters in creative writing

I earn way more and pay way more tax as a TV writer than I ever did as a lawyer

This is both heartbreaking & maddening.
The creative industries account for more than £100bn to UK economy, 15.9% of all UK service exports.; there is more production space here than anywhere in world outside of Hollywood. RT if agree!
#supportthearts theguardian.com/education/2024…