The Great North Festival Company launched its campaign for a Great North Festival to celebrate innovation and discover hope within the North East, so far with three debates; the first was in Newcastle 'Embracing the Future' with contributions from a Newcastle MP, an immigrant from a Newcastle refugee service, a manager of an organization enabling young people to realize their dreams and a university student imagining a future for the North East. The second was on renewable energy at the country home of the great North East entrepreneur William Armstrong, Cragside in Rothbury. An evening at the university heard a re-enactment of Armstrong's great 1963 speech on the future of industry. Finally a third debate explored the spirit and underlying values which inform our culture. All this to prepare for a larger event in the future. As one person at the Cragside debate advised us. 'Keep on innovating.' We intend to.