Applications for Create/Disrupt 2026-27 are now closed.
Create/Disrupt
Opportunities
Create/Disrupt: 2026-27 Open Call!
Posted: 7 July 2026
NewBridge Gallery is now closed until Friday 16 October.
You can join us on 5 September and 3 October for Saturday Social. You can still shop NewBridge Books throughout the weekdays!
Applications for Create/Disrupt 2026-27 are now closed.
Deadline for applications: Thursday 3 September 2026, 5pm
Notification to successful and unsuccessful applicants by: Friday 11 September 2026
Programme commences: Tuesday 29 September 2026
Programme ends: Wednesday 25 August 2027
Create/Disrupt is a free 11-month artist development programme for (aspiring) artists and arts workers who have not been to university and live in the North East of England.
The programme is co-created by the members of the cohort, guided by your creative hopes and desires throughout the year. Create/Disrupt consists of regular workshops with guest artists and creative practitioners; field trips to cultural and creative places; access to events; a free studio space; opportunities to exhibit your artwork and test out new ideas; 1:1 creative mentoring with professional artists; and support to build and be part of a creative community.
All art forms and creative interests are welcome. See below for how to apply!
We meet weekly on Tuesday evenings, 6–8pm at The NewBridge Project. There will be occasional activity during the day or on weekends. We know not everyone will be able to attend every session, but we ask that you keep Tuesday evenings free for Create/Disrupt. The more regularly you attend sessions, the more you will get out of the programme.
Create/Disrupt is created and mapped out by members of the programme over the first few meetups. During the initial sessions, you’ll get to know each other, start to find out more about NewBridge and begin to imagine the year ahead.
Based on your hopes and aspirations for the year, Create/Disrupt Project Manager Izzy will programme suitable artists to host session(s) with the group, reflecting on your interests, things you’d like to learn or people you want to meet. Previous cohorts were interested in sign writing, alternative print-making methods and folklore. We then worked with professional signwriter Ash Williton, took part in Jelly Printing with artist Mae Bloom, and attended intention-setting workshops with artist Mani Kambo!
During the second half of the programme, you’ll have the opportunity to have 1-2-1 mentoring with someone aligned with your interests. Together, you’ll think about areas for development or people that you could learn from. You might want to explore something that is part of your practice already or something new you’d like to get into. You might want to connect with an artist around a specific art form, such as filmmaking; a skill, for instance, speaking and writing about your work; or an idea, such as building queer archives.
You can approach mentoring in different ways: a former Create/Disrupt member was interested in music therapy, so they shadowed a qualified music therapist. Another member used their mentoring sessions to meet with a graphic designer and begin digitalising their portfolio, learning how to find and apply for editorial commissions. We’ve also had a member use their mentoring time to meet with a visual artist for professional support in refining their CV and artist statement, and use this to apply for opportunities, including artist residencies and exhibitions.
Create/Disrupt includes access to a shared studio space, which you will have from September to August. There is a fee of approximately £30-40 that individuals are required to pay for Personal Liability Insurance, which will grant them full membership upon induction for their time on the programme and for use of the Create/Disrupt studio outside of scheduled session time.
Deadline for applications: Thursday 3 September 2026, 5pm
We have designed an easy process to apply for Create/Disrupt. You will find a simple form below that asks for contact details, confirmation you DO NOT have a degree and questions on why you want to be part of Create/Disrupt:
You are invited to submit this information in whatever format suits you best – you can write directly into the form, or you can upload a video or audio file. If it is easier to meet with our Project Manager for a recorded informal interview, please email to Izzy to arrange an appointment.
Equal Opportunity and Diversity Monitoring Form
Once we have received your application, we will send you an Equal Opportunity and Diversity Monitoring Form to fill out.
This must be filled out for your application to be considered.
Izzy Finch, Create Disrupt Project Manager, is hosting short 1-1 conversations over the summer for people to find out more about the programme and how to apply.
We highly recommend emailing Izzy, at izzy@thenewbridgeproject.com, if you have any questions about Create/Disrupt and / or would like to arrange a 1:1 meeting online or at The NewBridge Project. We can discuss the application process or chat more about the opportunity to see if it is right for you.
No, applicants for Create/Disrupt must not hold a degree in any subject. This is a requirement of our funder (North East Mayoral Strategic Authority)
No, it is a requirement of our funder that all participants have a North East postcode.
Yes, you can apply to Create/Disrupt, as long as you don’t hold a degree.
Yes, artists with a specific discipline can apply but we also encourage people who want to experiment/ learn new skills, artforms and explore what different careers in the arts can look like. Please be as detailed as possible in your application about your hopes and interests.
Probably not. Create/Disrupt is a space where you absolutely can develop your own practice, make work, and use the studio on your own. However, there is a collaborative and collective nature to the programme, and we would like all applicants to feel excited at and capable of at the prospect of being an active member of a creative community.
If you just want a studio without the programme that’s fine–you can apply to be a studio member at NewBridge here: https://thenewbridgeproject.com/become-a-member/
We meet weekly on Tuesday evenings, 6.30–8.30pm at The NewBridge Project. There will be occasional activity during the day or on weekends. We know not everyone will be able to attend every session, but we ask that you keep Tuesday evenings free for Create/Disrupt. The more regularly you attend sessions, the more you will get out of the programme.
The Collective Studio is an artist development programme that runs parallel to Create/Disrupt. The Collective Studio is a partnership with Newcastle University, and although it is open to anyone, it is made up mostly of graduates and those who hold a degree. Both programmes are excellent pathways, but they do differ in their approach.
Create/Disrupt is a programme aimed at addressing inequalities in the arts sector, where over 90% of jobs in the arts are held by people who have a degree. There is no right pathway into the arts, and this programme proactively challenges who gets to belong, learn and shape cultural programmes by providing a space for those who are historically marginalised in the industry and/or are aspiring to break into the sector.
Create/ Disrupt aims to create a space of mutual understanding and time to experience collective, creative endeavours. Create/Disrupt offers weekly sessions, whereas The Collective Studio meet-ups are monthly. Create/Disrupt is also a smaller cohort of around 10 to 15 people, so the sessions are more intimate. There is often crossover between the programmes, with opportunities to collaborate. If you aren’t sure which programme is for you, please get in touch with Izzy at izzy@thenewbridgeproject.com and schedule a chat.
The programme is free. Workshops, mentoring, materials, socials, field trips and all programming are fully funded, including rent, for 11 months in the shared studio space at NewBridge. There is a fee of approximately £30-40 that individuals are required to pay for personal liability insurance, which will grant them full membership upon induction for their time on the programme and use of the Create/Disrupt studio.
The Create/Disrupt space at the Shieldfield Centre is located on the upper ground floor of the building, and activities and events may take place on other floors. All these areas of the building can be accessed via a lift.
There are accessible and gender-neutral toilets, baby changing and breastfeeding facilities and two accessible parking bays. There is a fire evac chair on the first and second floors, however, these need to be operated by 2 trained members of staff, which may affect the 24-hour access to your space should you be unable to evacuate the building in case of emergency without support. If you have any questions about this then do get in touch and we can discuss this further, and/or arrange a site visit with you. You can watch a walkthrough of our building and learn more about accessibility here.
NewBridge has a Safer, Braver Spaces policy. Everyone here treats each other with respect and consideration. Transphobia, misogyny, racism or harassment of any kind is not welcome.
We consider inclusion in the broadest context and as part of Create/Disrupt we will collectively discuss access and make our own access riders to share with each other. An access rider tells us about your access needs and the conditions in which you work best. See this guide from Access Docs for Artists for help on how and why to make an access document or rider and further information on Disability Arts Online. Do feel free to share anything in your application that you would like us to know prior to attending.
Create/Disrupt is run by The NewBridge Project is funded by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority.
The NewBridge Project is a charity, registered charity no. 1173849.
We are grateful to our funders, including Arts Council England, Newcastle City Council, Garfield Weston Foundation, Jerwood Foundation, Community Foundation North East, Newcastle University and the The North East Mayoral Strategic Authority.
We are proud to be a Gallery of Sanctuary.
