The Tyne Bridge links Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead, which are jointly hosting the Great Exhibition of the North next summer  Credit: PA

Tech start-ups and cultural projects across the north of England are being invited to bid for a share of a £15m government fund.

The Great Exhibition of the North is taking place next summer in Gateshead and Newcastle upon Tyne and the funding is aimed at ensuring the event occasions “a lasting regional legacy” for the whole of the north of England, the government said. The £5m government-backed exhibition is intended to demonstrate northern England’s best and brightest players in design, art, and technology.

In conjunction with the event, the government has announced that it will be investing a further £15m in cultural or innovation-based projects. Examples cited of the kind of initiatives being sought include renovating a live music venue, or establishing a centre for technology start-ups. 

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The winning projects – which will be announced in March 2018 – could receive backing of up to £4m each. If any of the investment pot remains unspent after this, another round of funding will take place.

Culture secretary Karen Bradley said: “This £15m fund is a fantastic chance for towns and cities to develop inspirational projects that could have a transformative local effect – particularly in communities that have seen less cultural or creative investment in the past.”

She added: “We want as many people as possible to benefit from the Great Exhibition of the North, and this fund will boost the Northern Powerhouse and help build a lasting legacy across the whole region.”