National Poetry Centre to receive £5m in government investment

The government has pledged £5m in support of the National Poetry Centre’s new home in Leeds.

Launched by poet laureate Simon Armitage, the £20m project will see Trinity St David’s church on Woodhouse Lane become a dedicated national, cultural centre for poetry. The space will include a 250-seat performance theatre, as well as a bookshop, library and café. It will also feature offices, recording facilities, rehearsal spaces, study rooms and more.

"We are a nation of poets, the home of the English language, and poetry has been the voice of Britain for 1500 years, but until now it has never had a proper home," said Armitage, who is also professor of poetry at the University of Leeds. "Thanks to this excellent news, the National Poetry Centre will become a reality."

The investment was initially earmarked in March 2024, and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government has now confirmed its commitment to the project.

"This support will allow us to develop the capital project, secure further investment and create an organisation which will bring widespread cultural and economic benefits," said director Nick Barley. "Above all, this will be an organisation that exists for poetry in all its diverse forms: for creators, listeners and readers."

The project is supported by Arts Council England, West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin and her team at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, The University of Leeds – which owns the building – and Leeds City Council, which has included the project in its Inclusive Growth Leeds strategy.

"I am thrilled to hear the news of the government’s investment in the development of the National Poetry Centre in Leeds, a project we’ve been passionate about and actively involved in from the very beginning," said Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England. "Its impact will be felt on regional, national and international levels, offering opportunities to poets at all stages of their career, and from the grassroots up. This development will be transformative, both for the artform and for Leeds, fuelling creativity and significantly boosting the economy."

The centre has also been championed by Baroness Blake of Leeds, who was leader of Leeds City Council when the project was proposed, and Alex Sobel, MP for Leeds Central and Headingley. "I’m delighted that the National Poetry Centre funding has been confirmed in full," Sobel said. "When we received the news in the budget that the funding was under review I started working with Simon Armitage and the National Poetry Centre straight away to lobby the Government to secure the funding. This project will be transformative particularly for children and young people not just in Leeds but across the country."