From empty building to creative powerhouse
Creative Central NCL join forces with Cobalt Studios to transform Newcastle city centre site into an arts and culture complex
A new creative hub is set to open in the heart of Newcastle this autumn, as an underused city centre building is transformed into affordable studios, workspaces and a cultural venue for artists and makers.
Backed by a £1.7million investment from Newcastle City Council and funding from the North East Combined Authority, the project will bring 8,600 sq ft of space on the corner of Clayton Street and Nelson Street - just steps from the Grainger Market -back into use.
The building will become the base for Creative Central NCL, the five-year programme focused on strengthening Newcastle’s creative economy, while also addressing a longstanding problem for the sector: the lack of affordable, secure workspace in the city centre.
Once complete, the four-storey site will house studios for up to 45 creatives, alongside exhibition space, areas for events and workshops, and a café and retail offer.
The emphasis is on flexibility, from hot desks to longer-term studio leases, with priority access for early-career and underrepresented creatives.
The space will be run by Cobalt Studios CIC, an organisation with deep roots in the city’s independent arts scene including a bouncing venue in the Ouseburn and what must be one of the best-looking co-working spaces in the city.
For Cobalt’s founder and director, Kate Hodgkinson, affordability is central to the model.
She said: “Keeping studio spaces affordable is essential to sustaining creative activity in our communities.
“This is a long-term investment in Newcastle’s creative future. We’ll be creating a space where local artists can grow, experiment, and connect with other creative people and with new audiences.
“We will also be developing a program of affordable & accessible culture. We’re very proud to be involved with this project and excited to have this opportunity and looking forward to expanding our community and getting to know people working and living in the locality.”
Fellow director Mark Collett added: “It all starts with space.
“So, the opportunity to take the reins of one on Newcastle’s most historic buildings and bring new life to it is an honour for us and an exciting extension of Cobalt. We’re looking forward to seeing new communities develop, one story at a time!”
Vikki Leaney, project manager for Creative Central NCL, said: “One of the key challenges we wanted to address with Creative Central NCL was the shortage of affordable and secure creative workspaces in the city centre.
“Over the last 18 months we’ve been working behind the scenes to bring this unused space into the Creative Central NCL project so it can be revitalised and made available to the independent artists and creatives in Newcastle.
“In Cobalt Studios, we’ve found the perfect partner, deeply embedded in Newcastle’s cultural scene, and ready to bring energy, experience, and vision to our new creative hub.”
As well as providing workspace, the building is expected to host a programme of exhibitions, open studios, workshops and learning events - many of them free or low-cost - aimed at connecting artists with new audiences.
The development is expected to create five new jobs directly, while supporting dozens more across the wider creative economy, and contributing an estimated £2million in additional value to the city.
Designed by MawsonKerr, work on the building is already underway, with doors set to open in autumn 2026.
Cllr Abdul Samad, cabinet member for culture, music and arts at Newcastle City Council, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for the creative sector in Newcastle and we want to make the most of it for many years to come.
“The development of this creative hub and crucially, affordable workspaces, means our artists and creatives can thrive right here in Newcastle without the need to seek employment or adventure elsewhere.
“It will also support the growth of this vital sector in Newcastle, supporting independent creatives and small businesses flourish and contribute to our economy.
“We’re looking forward to working with Cobalt Studios CIC as they develop and grow this space into the kind of energetic and inclusive cultural destination that they have become known for over the years.”
Anyone interested in registering interest in workspace opportunities, can sign up at cobaltstudios.co.uk.