Culture and tech projects in the North of England will soon be able to bid for a slice from a £15m (US$19.3m, €16.5m) funding pie, with a new fund established to help build a lasting regional legacy for the Great Exhibition of the North.

Called the Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund, grants of up to £4m (US$5.1m, €4.4m) will be awarded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to support both major culture and tech capital projects in the North, helping to boost the Northern Powerhouse – a government scheme aiming to boost economic growth in England’s north, particularly in the "core cities" of Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Hull and Newcastle.

“This 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,” said culture secretary, Karen Bradley.

“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.”

Successful projects will be announced in March 2018, with an application deadline of 30 November. If all funds have not been allocated during the initial window, a second round of funding will follow. Successful bids will, according to the brief, “encourage sustainable cultural and creative regeneration in the North of England and benefit areas that have historically had low levels of cultural and creative investment.”

The 2018 edition of the Great Exhibition of the North takes place in Newcastle and Gateshead from 22 June until September, with the £5m (US$6.4m, €5.5m) government-funded event showcasing the north of England’s art, culture, design and innovation. The exhibition is split over three hubs, including the Great North Museum: Hancock, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and Sage Gateshead.

For more information on the Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund and to apply, click here.