THE North-East is gearing up for a cultural conference bonanza this year with a number of national and international creative events already confirmed.

Last year, NewcastleGateshead hosted WOMEX, the successful World Music Expo, which attracted 2,000 international delegates and 300 musicians.

It also played host to the International Society for Performing Arts Conference, the British Arts Festival Association and the National Tourism Management Conference.

Many more events from the cultural sector are now to follow.

June will see the arrival of the World Summit on Arts and Culture, which will bring 600 delegates to NewcastleGateshead.

A further 400 will arrive in November for the Creative Clusters Conference, and many more for the Campaign for Museums Conference. The Association of British Orchestras will also stage their 2006 conference in NewcastleGateshead.

Andrew Dixon, chief executive of the NewcastleGateshead Initiative, which operates the area's convention bureau, said: "These high-profile events will undoubtedly help generate a significant economic boost for North-East England in 2006, and these are just a small number of the events planned for next year.

"There have also been other inquiries for several more European and international conferences linked to culture.

"With over £250m of investment by the Arts Council, the Lottery, One NorthEast, the area's local authorities and other partners in the region, we now have a world-class cultural infrastructure."

He added: "NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau, which helps source venues and hotels for a range of conferencing in the city, has seen a significant increase in inquiries in the fields of arts, science and medical conferencing during this period.

"A survey has shown that 49 per cent of delegates who have attended business conferences in the area are first-time visitors, and 26 per cent say they will definitely return for a leisure break."