CREATIVE
Creating a reputation
Champions of creativity - Artists of the Year , from left , Andy Berriman , Lisette Auton , Amelia Coburn , Claire A Baker and Scott Turnbull .
How Tees Valley is leading the way in the creative sector
Tees Valley is rapidly placing itself at the forefront of the creative industries with new and ongoing programmes to boost businesses and support our excellent creators and entrepreneurs .
Five local artists have been named as the first successful Tees Valley Artists of the Year 2024 . This is a new scheme run by Tees Valley Combined Authority supporting five leading local artists , who will receive a career-changing £ 30,000 investment , as it develops the region as an engine room for creative artists .
They are : > Middlesbrough singer-songwriter
Amelia Coburn > Darlington author Lisette Auton > Stockton-based visual artist
Claire A Baker > Theatre-maker Scott Turnbull > Stockton filmmaker Andy Berriman
The project is a bold new approach to nurture the next generation of musicians , filmmakers and writers , which could provide a ground-breaking model for other areas . Each will receive investment over a year , which includes a real-living wage bursary and a professional development budget .
They will also receive industry mentoring and tailored business support to take their creative career to the next level . The successful artists were selected after a competitive process involving panellists from the region ’ s leading cultural organisations , Arts Council England and TVCA .
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen said : “ We ’ ve got a great wealth of talent in our region , and we can all do more to shout it from the rooftops . We want to help our brightest talents thrive and build their
62 | Tees Business
Reputation - Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen with Alison Gwynn , chief executive of North East Screen , and BBC director-general Tim Davie .
careers here – and this award is one part of that plan .”
The award is part of a wider £ 20.5m programme of investment by the combined authority to grow the region ’ s creative and cultural industries and visitor economies .
The artists were chosen ahead of the three-year anniversary of another pioneering partnership to nurture talent , support TV and film creatives and businesses and bring blockbuster films to Teesside .
The BBC ’ s agreement with the North East Screen Industries Partnership ( NESIP ) brought a push to boost homegrown talent in our region on its launch in 2021 . In that time , Teesside has hosted the filming and premiere of star-studded movie Jackdaw , as well as seeing a raft of TV and film productions coming here .
The £ 11.4m North East Screen Industries Partnership , backed by £ 4.5m of investment from the Tees Valley mayor and Combined Authority , is being delivered by North East Screen .
It was established to capitalise on the BBC ’ s commitment to invest £ 25m in the region to help fund TV production and talent development across the region ’ s creative sectors . As the Hartlepool Development Corporation continues to evolve , a modern production village will be created , helping link businesses and entrepreneurs with the Northern Film and TV Studios .
BBC director-general Tim Davie met mayor Ben Houchen in Darlington in August to discuss the region ’ s future and mark the three-year anniversary .
Mayor Houchen said : “ Our region has fantastic locations , amazing talent and huge potential as a centre for TV and film making – so it has been great to see the development of new shows in our area as part of this growing partnership with the BBC .
“ We are building a growing reputation as a place where opportunities in the creative and digital sectors are thriving . This is why the expansion of the BBC in places such as Teesside , Darlington and Hartlepool is so important , as it not only shows off the best of our area but provides long-term careers for local people in well-paid skilled industries .”
Alison Gwynn , chief executive of North East Screen , said : “ The landmark BBC partnership was a substantial catalyst for the growth of the screen industry in the North-East . Over the past two years production has grown by 86 per cent , making our region the fastest growing in the UK .
“ We have welcomed home grown and inward productions from the BBC , ITV , C4 , Sky , Netflix and Amazon , as well as major feature films . We have generated £ 12.7m of gross value added ( calculated by Saffery Champness on behalf of NE Screen ) and secured regional jobs equivalent to 264 full-time equivalents ..”