The confirmation of £5 million of government investment in the National Poetry Centre in Leeds has been welcomed by the poet laureate Simon Armitage as evidence that his brainchild “will become a reality”.

The £20 million project will transform Trinity St David’s church on Woodhouse Lane, pictured, into the UK’s first 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.

Simon Armitage, who grew up in West Yorkshire, and is also Professor of Poetry at the University of Leeds, said: “We are a nation of poets, the home of the English language, and poetry has been the voice of Britain for 1,500 years, but until now it has never had a proper home.

“Thanks to this excellent news, the National Poetry Centre will become a reality. 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. After the incoming Labour government looked at the project in its spending review, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has now confirmed its commitment. 

 The new centre is promising  to provide a cultural headquarters for poets, writers, students, families and communities from a wide range of backgrounds. 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”.

The centre’s director, Nick Barley said the confirmed government 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.”  

Ruth Pitt, the centre’s chair, who has worked on the project with Simon Armitage since he became poet laureate in 2019, added: “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 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. 

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.

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.”