Fee
Deadline
Open To
What is the opportunity?
Creative Central NCL is partnering with Newcastle Pride and Curious Arts to offer two creative commissions for 2026, giving artists and creatives the chance to develop and share work as part of this year’s Pride programme.
Each commission is worth £2,500 and comes with mentoring, producer support and promotional support. The opportunity is open to creatives working in any art form, as long as the final idea has a clear public outcome and connects meaningfully with this year’s Pride theme: City of Hope, Streets of Joy.
These commissions are part of Newcastle Pride Fringe, which runs from 1 July to 22 July 2026, ahead of the main Pride weekend on 25 and 26 July.
What kind of ideas are being supported?
We’re open to a wide range of ideas and art forms. That could include visual art, performance, spoken word, theatre, music, installations, exhibitions, comedy, podcasts or digital work.
The main thing is that the idea leads to a public outcome. That might be a performance, event or showcase during Newcastle Pride Fringe in a venue within the Creative Central NCL footprint. Or it could be a legacy artwork, like a banner or puppet, that becomes part of the Pride March and can be used again in future years.
Who is it for?
This opportunity is for artists and creatives who want to create or develop work for Newcastle Pride 2026 and can deliver it within the festival timeframe.
You need to be available to showcase your work between 1 and 22 July 2026 as part of Newcastle Pride Fringe.
The call is open to everyone, but we’re particularly keen to hear from people who are often underrepresented in the creative sector, especially artists and creatives from LGBTQIA+ communities.
What are we looking for?
All proposals need to respond to the 2026 Newcastle Pride theme: City of Hope, Streets of Joy.
The theme is rooted in community consultation and reflects both the resilience of Newcastle’s LGBTQIA+ communities and a commitment to collective joy.
Your proposal must also meet at least one of these criteria. It must:
- explore LGBTQIA+ and/or gender themes
- be of interest to LGBTQIA+ communities
- be created or presented by LGBTQIA+ artists
- offer a clear development opportunity for the artist
What support is included?
Each selected artist will receive:
- a £2,500 commission fee
- a 75-minute session with a Curious Arts producer
- a 60-minute 1:1 mentoring session with a mentor matched to your work through the Queer Arts North network
- in-kind venue support for performances or events during the Fringe, plus help sourcing rehearsal space where needed
- a networking opportunity with the other commissioned artists and project partners
- promotion through Newcastle Pride, Curious Arts and Creative Central NCL channels
How to apply
You can apply with the equivalent of one side of A4, or with a maximum two-minute audio or video recording.
You’ll need to include:
- a short artist bio
- links to previous work or your portfolio
- a summary of your idea and how it responds to the theme
- a brief budget outline, a simple table or separate spreadsheet is fine.
Applications should be emailed to info@creativecentralncl.co.uk with the subject line Newcastle Pride Creative Commission.
If you have any questions, contact hello@curiousarts.org.uk.
Key dates
- Application deadline: 12 noon on Monday 11 May 2026
- Shortlisting begins: Tuesday 12 May
- Shortlisted artist interviews: 18 and 19 May
- Successful artists announced: week of 25 May
- Project delivery: between 1 and 22 July 2026
Before you apply
Please read the full guidelines before starting your application.
The guidelines give more details on eligibility, support, what to include and how the process will work.
Read the full guidelines and apply by 12 noon on Monday 11 May 2026.
We have tried to keep the application process for these opportunities as simple and flexible as possible, however if you require this information in a different format or have any specific access requirements please get in touch with Vix Leaney for a conversation. Vikki.Leaney@newcastle.gov.uk