The National Poetry Centre today welcomes the news that £5 million of government investment has been committed for the development of its groundbreaking £20 million centre in the heart of Leeds. 

 

The project is the brainchild of the Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and the investment will help transform the iconic Trinity St David’s church on Woodhouse Lane into the UK’s first ever dedicated national cultural centre for poetry. Plans include a 250-seat performance theatre, bookshop, library, café, 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,” says Simon 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,” he continues. “Poetry is enjoying a surge of popularity, offering people from every walk of life an accessible and memorable means of expression. Leeds, at the heart of Britain and the crossroads of the country, is the perfect place for a national and international headquarters.”  

 

The investment was originally earmarked in March last year. Following a further consultation, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government has now confirmed its commitment, enabling the centre to progress its ambitious plans.  

 

The new centre will serve the whole country and beyond, providing a cultural headquarters for poets, writers, students, families and communities from a wide range of backgrounds, whilst celebrating the part that poetry plays in our collective past, present and future. In October 2024 development support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund enabled the National Poetry Centre to research the role of poetry as part of the UK’s heritage – across the many languages and cultures that form the fabric of life in 21st century Britain. 

  

Director Nick Barley says: “The government’s investment in the National Poetry Centre is an important step forward for poetry in the UK, headquartered in Leeds but opening up opportunities for people across the British Isles. 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. Above all, this will be an organisation that exists for poetry in all its diverse forms: for creators, listeners and readers. Encouraging open access to the arts across the nation’s diverse communities will be central to our work: the National Poetry Centre will stand as a beacon of creative endeavour for many people whose voices are currently unheard.”   

 

National Poetry Centre Chair Ruth Pitt, who has worked on the project with Simon Armitage since he became Poet Laureate in 2019, adds: “Poetry is enjoying a huge revival, especially among young people, and its short-form nature is particularly well suited to the digital age. It’s valued in almost all languages and cultures and we believe passionately in its proven ability to improve life-chances and literacy through enhanced self-expression, the joy of learning and the many rewards of mental wellbeing.” 

 

The project is fully supported by Arts Council England as well as 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 prominently in its Inclusive Growth Leeds strategy as an important anchor institution.  

 

Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, said: “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. 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 idea was first proposed, and Alex Sobel, MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, in whose constituency the centre stands. Both have tirelessly advocated for the National Poetry Centre from the outset. 

  

Alex Sobel said: “I’m delighted that the National Poetry Centre funding has been confirmed in full. 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.”