Newcastle Council’s Arts, Culture and Events Team is inviting communities across Newcastle to help create something special for NOVUM Festival 2026.
They are offering a series of free creative workshops for community groups across Newcastle and inviting groups to register their interest. These workshops will be led by a professional artist and designed to be fun, hands‑on and accessible. They are looking for groups who are up for having a go, trying something creative and helping design artwork to dress the NOVUM Festival Site 2026.
Read on to find out more and register interest in taking part.
What is NOVUM?
NOVUM is a bold, joyful, multi-artform summer festival taking over Newcastle city centre for 3 days this August, with exciting plans to grow into a 10-day, city-wide celebration in the years ahead.
Blending free public events with a distinctive ticketed programme of music and performance, NOVUM brings together large-scale spectacles, playful installations, creative activations and pop-up moments. Expect performances in venues, streets, squares and the most surprising corners of the city.
From the unexpected to the unforgettable, NOVUM invites audiences to experience Newcastle in new and imaginative ways — with accessibility, co-creation and innovation at its heart. Local people help design, deliver and take part in the programme, building pride, skills and a strong sense of ownership in the city’s cultural life.
Who can apply?
- Any community group within Newcastle; youth groups, women’s groups, older people, community centres, faith-based groups, community projects, schools etc.
- Multiple groups from the same ward can apply.
They want to be transparent with groups about how decisions are made. If they receive several applications from one area, they’ll make decisions based on: ensuring a fair spread across the city; group needs and capacity; and the order of registration only as a final decider if needed.
What do NOVUM 2026 need from your group?
To take part, groups should ideally:
- be interested in trying something creative
- be available on an agreed date/time to be involved in making workshop
- be able to provide a staff member or group leader to support workshop
- ideally have a venue they can host the workshop in (or request support finding one)
- share any access needs with them so they can plan properly
Register your interest by completing this form (it should take 5 minutes): https://forms.gle/o9rUK6HGZSpPEJDDA
Other ways to get involved
Even if your group doesn’t take part in a workshop, there will be lots of other NOVUM opportunities including:
- volunteering at NOVUM
- supported group attendance at free and ticketed festival events
- other artist‑led community workshops
You can opt into updates through this form.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to get in touch with Community Events Officer alison.flanaganwood@newcastle.gov.uk, but completing the form is the best way to register your interest.