Newcastle Theatre Royal Launches First Stories of the West End Publication with Community Celebration
A major new community storytelling project celebrating life in Newcastle’s West End will launch its first publication this summer, as Newcastle Theatre Royal brings together local voices, memories and creativity in Stories of the West End.
Developed in collaboration with more than 150 residents, schools and community groups, the project captures lived experience from across the West End through interviews, photography, poetry and creative writing.
The first of four planned editions, The Soil & The Seeds, will be unveiled at a free community celebration at the John Marley Centre on Sunday from 2pm. The event will feature live performance, music, storytelling and the first performance of a newly commissioned song about the West End by singer-songwriter Katie Doherty. Free copies of the publication will be available on the day.
Laura Lindow, Resident Artist at Newcastle Theatre Royal and lead artist on the project, said: “This work has grown from time spent in classrooms, community centres and everyday spaces over the last two years, listening to people and understanding what the West of the city means to them. Together we have walked and talked, remembered and reflected, created and imagined.
“The result is a series of publications that reflect the people and communities who have shared their stories, full of warmth, resilience and creativity. It has been a privilege to be welcomed into people’s lives, and we can’t wait to celebrate those voices in this first publication.”
One of the contributors, a community pharmacist from the West End said: “The West End is an amazing place with its own rhythms and pace. It has its challenges, but projects like this are about changing that narrative. Everyone has a story, and it’s important not to assume you know what it is before you take the time to listen.”
Each edition presents a curated collection of memories and perspectives, alongside specially commissioned illustrations by Lizzie Lovejoy and Emily Cairns, and photography by Christopher Bishop. Following The Soil & The Seeds, three further editions - Butterflies & Bricks, Wild Things and a concluding volume, Stories of the West End will be released throughout 2026.
Kim Hoffmann, Director of Creative Development at Newcastle Theatre Royal, said: “Stories of the West End reflects our ambition to build lasting relationships with communities and celebrate this city’s identity as a place full of stories and storytellers. By sharing these publications widely, we hope to create something that truly belongs to the West End.”
Image: Photo by Jonathan Ackley
