News Archive
11th May 2010
WorldFest 2010 Youth & Community Events
Celebrating diversity in the Tees Valley
As part of WorldFest 2010, there are two fantastic free events taking place in Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt on Monday 24th May and Wednesday 26th May; all are welcome – come along, meet people and celebrate our local talents.
The Youth Event takes place on Monday 24th May, 7.00 pm – 9.00 pm, and showcases our local young people, including a drumming group of young people from diverse backgrounds; talented 15 year old singer Holly Shahverdi; a CoMusica showcase featuring the Boomdang Drummers from Middlesbrough and “Big Noise” from Lingdale; Zimbabwean rapper Flava Makoya and the night will finish off with the Durham County Youth Big Band. We will also be showing a short film made by local youngsters, and exhibiting exciting artworks and photographs from various different projects and events.
The Community event on Wednesday 26th May, 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm, is sponsored by Northumbrian Water through the Tees Valley Community Foundation, and will feature a 100 drum audience introduction, a fashion show and art exhibitions plus music from Yazdan Qafouri, Love Revolution, Steve McCormick and the exhilarating Salam UK - a collective of excellent musicians including players from Iraq, Egypt and Staithes! There will also be refreshments provided by Nobia’s Catering Services which offers delicious modern and traditional Afro cuisine to Teesside.
WorldFest 2010 is brought to you by Tees Valley Arts and the African Arts Association in partnership with Middlesbrough and Stockton Councils. WorldFest is funded by the Northern Rock Foundation with additional support from Middlesbrough Council, Stockton on Tees Borough Council, Northumbrian Water, Tees Valley Community Foundation, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Baring Foundation and local businesses, including Kebabish Original, the Kilimanjaro Restaurant in Stockton, and Psyche fashion store on Linthorpe Road which dedicates a window to the festival.
Rowena Sommerville, Director of Tees Valley Arts commented “Come along – it’s free, they are wonderful community events full of energy and excitement, you will enjoy yourself and they will be loads of fun!”
“Please look at www.worldfest.co.uk for details of all the great events that are taking place including the Nuit d’Afrique at ARC in Stockton on Friday 21st May with Pablo U-Wa and Dennis Bovell International Orchestra and the WorldFest Gala Night on Saturday 29th May featuring the fantastic Misty in Roots and the Dennis Bovell Dub Band!”
Top Class Line Up Announced for This Year's 5th WorldFest
WorldFest celebrates diversity in the Tees Valley and showcases world class talent
Set towards the end of May, just as we’re easing into summer, WorldFest brings something different to the cultural life of the Tees Valley, with a packed schedule of events.
Past years’ WorldFests have featured acts such as Horace Andy, Aswad, Tinariwen, Gregory Isaacs, Kanda Bongo Man and Kasai Masai.
Headliners this year (Saturday May 29th Middlesbrough Town Hall) will be Misty in Roots and Dennis Bovell Dub Band.
With a career spanning four decades Misty in Roots are one of England’s finest reggae groups and their album Live At the Counter Eurovision is proclaimed by many critics as the best live reggae album of all time. Misty In Roots were also a favourite group of the legendary radio DJ John Peel and in October 2005 they played the first "John Peel Day" held to mark the anniversary of his last show.
Dennis Bovell has earned himself the reputation of being Britain's reggae maestro, from pioneering early developments in the genre over 20 years ago to producing classic hits. He is renowned as an accomplished multi-instrumentalist (playing guitar, bass and keyboards), sound engineer, composer, band leader and producer and continues to lead the UK scene with innovative and adventurous music. He was co-founder of Matumbi, the grossly under-rated band who once knocked spots off some outfit called Bob Marley and The Wailers who they were supporting. Dennis continues to be a massive presence - he's worked with the likes of Marvin Gaye, Fela Kuti, The Slits and Linton Kwesi Johnson - and live, the Dub Band's rock-solid horns and rhythm section never fail to move and groove.
There will also be a varied WorldFest programme including a youth event, a community night, an African night at ARC Stockton on Friday 21st May featuring French Ivorian reggae star Pablo U-wa and Dennis Bovell International Orchestra which is Dennis Bovell’s World Music side project.
Rowena Sommerville, Director of Tees Valley Arts, commented “we are delighted to have booked two stars of the reggae world in Misty in Roots and Dennis Bovell. They have delighted festival audiences the world over and I am sure Middlesbrough will be no different!.”
WorldFest is brought to you by Tees Valley Arts in partnership with African Arts Association and Middlesbrough and Stockton Councils
WorldFest is funded by the Northern Rock Foundation with additional support from Middlesbrough Council, Stockton on Tees Borough Council, Tees Valley Community Foundation, Northumbrian Water, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Baring Foundation and local businesses. Our thanks go to all our supporters and sponsors!
For further information please contact Rowena Sommerville, Director, Tees Valley Arts on 01642 264651 or Maurice Dezou, Programme Director on 07525 053193
Green Light for Green TV
Tees Valley Arts has been granted a major Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) award for its innovative and exciting programme of environmental engagement through the arts. Worth £245,000 over three years, Green TV will see local schools, community groups, wildlife officers, environmental experts and artists all working together to learn about the natural heritage of the Tees Valley, and getting out and about to enjoy it.
The project will take place in all 5 Tees Valley boroughs: in Years 1 and 2 there will be a total of 30 school and community artist residencies, and in Year 3 there will be a conference celebrating all the work and learning that has taken place, and looking at ways to build upon it for the future.
Green TV will be a partnership between Tees Valley Arts (TVA) and RSPB Saltholme, Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, Teesmouth Field Centre and Darlington Council (Parks & Countryside), with support from Tees Archaeology. The project will be delivered by professional community artists and conservation workers from the four partner organisations and will be managed by TVA’s Heritage & Environment Officer, Joe Dunne.
Joe said, “I am delighted with the news and thrilled to be able to run this exciting and interesting programme of activities. Green TV will bring about renewed enjoyment, understanding and ownership of local heritage for people in the Tees Valley.
It is not widely known that the Tees Valley has a wealth of regionally and nationally important natural heritage (wildlife) sites that we should be extremely proud of. Because local industry is very prominent in the area, the natural heritage is sometimes overlooked or lost, but these important sites are there, supporting a diverse range of wildlife on land which nature is reclaiming from industry.”
Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in the North East, Ivor Crowther said: “This is such a delightful project to start spring with. Our North East natural heritage is something to be treasured, and Green TV is a great way to get everyone, especially young people involved. Landscapes and wildlife need constant support and investment and the HLF are proud to play a key role in fantastic projects like this.”
Jeremy Garside, Chief Executive of Tees Valley Wildlife Trust said “The Wildlife Trust is extremely pleased to have this opportunity to work with Tees Valley Arts and its other environmental partners. The project will introduce us to new and exciting ways of engaging people and interpreting the area’s fascinating natural heritage.”
David Braithwaite, RSPB Saltholme Site Manager said “The Green TV is a really exciting project for Saltholme. It brings with it the prospect of using the arts to help visitors and school children understand more about how fragile the natural environment is and just how dependant we are upon its well being. We hope to use the sights and sounds of the wildlife at Saltholme to inspire people; making them want to learn and do more for the environment.”
Work on the project will begin in April 2010 and we’re all really looking forward to it – great news for the whole Tees Valley!
Joe Dunne is available for a photograph and interview at one of the wildlife sites – please get in contact to arrange a suitable time on 01642 264651 or 01642 264970, or email joe.dunne@teesvalleyarts.org.uk
Notes to Editors
Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)
Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported 33,900 projects, allocating £4.4billion across the UK including over £209million in the North East. Website: www.hlf.org.uk
29th March 2010
Pupils have gone underground
Over 100 pupils from eight primary schools in the Tees Valley have taken part in a creative project to explore quarries local to them with the help of professional artists and local wildlife and history specialists.
Tees Valley Arts were awarded £25,000 from Natural England through Defra’s Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund to run a project titled ‘Going Underground’ where pupils were given the opportunity to learn all about a local quarry, how it was formed, what stone was used where and why, and about any wildlife living there – all through creative art forms.
Pupils from Clavering and Throston Primaries in Hartlepool, The Links, Preston, Oakdene and Frederick Nattrass Primaries in Stockton-on-Tees, Roseberry Community Primary in Great Ayton and Galley Hill Primary in Guisborough were teamed up with four different local artists in a project that ran from early October 2009 and finished in March 2010. The artists (Bidi Iredale, Adrian Moule, Jo Colley and Kev Howard) used drama, printing, sculpture, creative writing and photography to enthuse the pupils and deliver learning in subjects such as biodiversity, geography, science and local history. One pupil from Clavering Primary School in Hartlepool commented that “art makes science unboring.”
The artists also had the help of members of Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, Tees Archaeology and geological experts to provide specialist information and knowledge.
Forming the basis of this enjoyable and innovative approach to learning, a class from each school visited their local quarry site to have a hands-on experience of the quarry. This project saw the first site visit by primary school pupils to Hart quarry, the active quarry at Hart owned by Sherburn Stone Company Ltd., and trips to the decommissioned and abandoned quarries of Cliff Rigg quarry near Great Ayton, Quarry Wood in Preston Park and Gravel Hole in Norton.
Joe Dunne, Tees Valley Arts’ Heritage and Environment Officer explained, “Through using the arts in this way, this project provided an exciting and innovative means of interpreting unusual sites (quarries!) as a source of national curriculum learning.”
Other quotes:
Andrew Robinson, Preston Primary School teacher commented “Who would have thought quarries could be so interesting?”
“[Visiting a quarry] was much more exciting than I thought it would be”, Year 5 pupil, Galley Hill Primary School, Guisborough.
Jayne Spence, Year 5 teacher at Galley Hill Primary School, Guisborough said, “It was great that the children got to visit a real quarry and not just learn about them from just talking and discussing it. The project has increased the children’s knowledge in a fun and interesting way.”
Tees Valley Arts works with schools to develop environmental learning arts-based projects. For more information please visit www.teesvalleyarts.org.uk or contact Joe Dunne, Heritage & Environment Officer on 01642 264651 or 01642 264970 or email joe.dunne@teesvalleyarts.org.uk If you require higher resolution images, please contact us through the above.
Notes for editors
1. The Aggregates Levy is a tax on the production of primary aggregates (sand, gravel and crushed rock used, for example, in the construction industry). Introduced in April 2002 part of the money raised is to fund the Sustainability Fund.
This fund, the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund or ALSF, aims to address the environmental and social cost of aggregate extraction by delivering environmental improvements, minimising the demand for primary aggregates, promoting environmentally friendly extraction and transport, encouraging the use of recycled and alternative materials, and reducing the local effects of aggregate extraction.
Natural England is one of a number of organisations selected by Defra to award Sustainability Fund grants for projects which reduce the effects of aggregate extraction. Natural England’s ALSF Grant Scheme aims to support projects that reduce or research the effects of aggregate extraction on nature conservation, landscapes, access, informal recreation and communities.
About Natural England
Natural England is here to conserve and enhance the natural environment, for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people and the economic prosperity that it brings.
2. Further information about Natural England’s Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund Grants Scheme can be found on www.naturalengland.org.uk. The ALSF grants team can be contacted on 01476 584 821.
Pupils from Clavering Primary School in Hartlepool at Hart Quarry (above), and Year 5 pupil from Galley Hill Primary School in Guisborough during a site visit to Cliff Rigg quarry (below).
Year 5 pupils from Galley Hill Primary School in Guisborough using drama to learn about quarrying (above), and Steve Ashton from Tees Valley Wildlife Trust showing pupils from The Links Primary school in Eaglescliffe what wildlife can be found in disused quarries (below).
3 February 2010
Tees Valley Arts awarded major grant from the Northern Rock Foundation
Tees Valley Arts is celebrating after being awarded a grant of £75,000 over three years to support its work as an arts development agency.
TVA is an arts development agency based in Middlesbrough in the North East of England, working across the Tees Valley; it is an organisation which champions participation in high quality arts and stimulating creative activities as a tool for improving the quality of life and learning for individuals and communities. TVA works in education: designing and delivering stimulating programmes for able students, for disengaged learners, for excluded or at risk pupils, and to deliver the science curriculum and environmental learning and awareness in unexpected and enjoyable ways. TVA works in diversity and inclusion: using the arts to support and empower people who face life’s challenges. TVA works to bring people together with mutual respect and celebration.
TVA works to support artists, creatives and makers in the Tees Valley and contributes to the development and strengthening of our local creative industries.
Rowena Sommerville, Director of Tees Valley Arts commented: “we are very grateful for the continued support of the Northern Rock Foundation as well as our other regular funders Arts Council England, the five Boroughs of the Tees Valley, and the Baring Foundation.
TVA has also recently received project funding for two exciting developments:
With support from Middlesbrough Council, the Harmony Initiative will involve a film-maker and writer working with a group of young Muslims (including refugees and asylum seekers) to create a short film: representing who they are, their wishes, aspirations & lives. The film will hopefully be screened at WorldFest in May and the Mela in July.
Thanks to funding through the Public Health Grant Scheme (Hartlepool PCT administered by Hartlepool Voluntary Development Agency) and the support of the Teenage Pregnancy team in Hartlepool, writers Bob Beagrie and Andy Willoughby will be working with teenage mums and mums-to-be to create a piece of drama around the themes of sex, relationships, pregnancy and parenthood. The aims of the project, Getting It, are to engage the group in positive activities – build confidence & self-esteem, address issues around second pregnancies and to create a model for Sex & Relationships Education based on peer education & creativity.
TVA has over 27 years experience of managing and delivering high quality creative projects in and around the North East of England since being established in 1982 as Cleveland Arts.
TVA is a registered charity; any profits we make go back into the business to support the development of more opportunities for people in the Tees Valley to participate in creative activities.
15th December 2009
Maurice Dezou appointed as Refugee Arts Worker for Tees Valley Arts
Maurice Dezou has been appointed as Arts Project Worker at Tees Valley Arts to support newly arrived communities and individuals who are interested in the arts.
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Maurice, originally from the Ivory Coast, has been active in the Tees Valley cultural scene for many years as a Film Maker, Lecturer, Musician and co-ordinator of the WorldFest Music Festival. He is also a DJ on Community Voice FM, a new community radio station in Middlesbrough and a member of the Board of Arts Council England, North East. |
TVA can work with people who were artists, musicians, writers, dancers, singers, sculptors or film-makers in their home countries and will try to help them rebuild and restart their careers; TVA can help them understand how culture works in the UK and will help them find out about opportunities and contacts.
TVA can work with groups who want to celebrate their own cultural traditions and with people who want to work with others from different backgrounds to, for example, make a film or have an exhibition or put on a concert.
TVA can also help people build up networks and find out about events where groups can perform or show their paintings or read their poems; TVA runs the WorldFest which celebrates diversity and showcases world-class talent and has links to lots of other events and networks.
The Refugee Arts Worker post has been funded by The Baring Foundation for three years, so big thanks to them.
Maurice Dezou commented “If you are living in the Tees Valley and you are a refugee or an asylum seeker or recently arrived in the UK and you are interested in the arts – then this is for you, please contact me!”
Tel: 07525 053193 (mobile); 01642 264651 (office)
Email: mauricedezou@hotmail.com
Pupils are Going Underground
26 October 2009
Pupils from four schools in the Tees Valley area are exploring a quarry site local to them with the help of professional artists and local wildlife, history and geological specialists.
In a project titled ‘Going Underground’, run by Tees Valley Arts and funded by Natural England through Defra's Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund , pupils from Clavering Primary in Hartlepool, Frederick Nattrass Primary in Norton, Preston Primary in Eaglescliffe and Roseberry Community Primary in Great Ayton have been teamed up with four different local artists to explore and improve knowledge and understanding of geodiversity, biodiversity and local heritage through a number of exciting creative art forms at four different quarry sites.
Forming the basis of this fun and innovative approach to learning, a class from each school visited their local quarry site to have a hands on experience of the quarry they will be exploring. One site is the active quarry at Hart, owned by Sherburn Stone Company Ltd., whereas the others have been decommissioned at different times and are therefore at different stages of natural restoration.
Joe Dunne, Tees Valley Arts’ Heritage Officer explained “Through using the arts in this way, this project is providing an exciting and innovative means of interpreting unusual sites (quarries!) as a source of national curriculum learning.”
Tees Valley Arts works with schools to develop environmental learning arts-based projects. For more information please contact Joe Dunne, Heritage & Environment Officer on 01642 264651 or email joe.dunne@teesvalleyarts.org.uk
25/09/09
Arts Award: Win a professional artist-led workshop for your school or youth group
Tees Valley Arts are running a FREE event for schools and youth services to find out more about Arts Award on Tuesday 6th October 4:00pm – 6:30pm at Arc, Stockton. When you attend, your name will be put into a prize draw and you could be chosen on the night to win a professional artist session for your school or group. PLUS there’s a free buffet and reduced tickets for that night’s show Markus the Sadist: all this and the chance to meet and network with other teachers/ youth workers at one of the North East’s most prestigious venues.
At Tees Valley Arts we’re running a project in Middlesbrough called stART, working with young people categorised as “hard-to-reach” NEETs (not in education, employment or training). Many of those young people have very complex lives and have faced various barriers to education, resulting in few, or no qualifications. The stART project, along with Arts Award is changing that. So far on the project, 17 young people have achieved their Bronze Arts Award which has seen many of them progress into college, training and employment.”
“I have more confidence to explore new skills.”
“I didn’t expect to do half the things on the project. It was class”
“It’s the first time I’ve completed something in full.”
“I will use the stART project on my CV for further employment”
“The Arts Award will help in the future. This course has also helped me get onto another art course, which will help in my future career”
Comments from stART (Arts Award) participants
“Without art and music I’d be lost” commented Goldie on the recent BBC programme ‘Classic Goldie’. He talked about growing up in care, the anger he had felt, and how indeed, without art and music, things might have turned out very different for him.
Jane Gray, Education Officer at TVA commented “This is something we know is true – we’ve seen the results time and time again; that creativity has the power to change lives. This might seem like an exaggeration – melodramatic even, but the confidence and self-belief (along with all the other skills) that grow from taking part in the arts can change the direction of a young person’s life.
The stART project is part of the Cultural Volunteering Programme, funded by One North East and Visit Tees Valley, with additional funding and support from Middlesbrough Connexions. If you would like more information about Arts Award please visit www.artsaward.org.uk or, for information about the stART project, please go to www.thestartproject.blogspot.com
Arts Award Schools and Youth Services Seminar Information and Booking Form (Word Document)
Arts Award Information Sheet (pdf)
Arts Award - creativity and leadership for young people - Schools and Youth Services Seminar - Tuesday 6th October, 4.00 - 6.30 pm, ARC, Stockton
Arts Award is a national qualification for young people, which recognises how young people develop as artists and arts leaders and is on the National Qualifications Framework at Levels 1, 2 and 3.
Any young person aged 11 – 25 can take part, and it’s suitable for young people with all abilities and interests in any art-form.
If you would like to find out more about running Arts Award, then TVA are organising a FREE event for Schools and Youth Services on Tuesday 6th October at ARC, Stockton.
Please download below, more information and a booking form to complete and return to us by Tuesday 29th September at 5pm.
Arts Award Schools and Youth Services Seminar Information and Booking Form (Word Document)
Arts Award Information Sheet (pdf)
updated 15/09/09
1st September 2009
TVA awarded development grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund
Tees Valley Arts have been awarded £8.600 for the development phase of 'Green TV'.
Green TV’ is a Heritage Education and Celebration programme that will raise awareness of and increase public access to key areas of outstanding natural heritage within the Tees Valley. This will be achieved through a coherent partnership programme of creative interpretation and cultural arts based particiption– enjoyable ways for pupils to learn about local ecology, about local green spaces near them, local heritage and to gain arts skills.
Green TV is a 2 year programme of educational and site based community residencies, working with 20 schools across the Tees Valley.
‘Green TV’ will be a partnership between Tees Valley Arts (TVA) and RSPB Saltholme, Tees Valley
Wildlife Trust, Teesmouth Field Centre and Darlington Borough Council and 20 schools. The project will be delivered by professional community artists and conservation workers from the four partner organisations, managed by TVA’s Heritage & Environment Officer, Joe Dunne, and funded by The Heritage Lottery Fund.
For further information please contact Joe Dunne at Tees Valley Arts on 01642 264651.
25th August 2009
Environmental Education Thanks to eaga
Green support services provider eaga has awarded a grant of over £6,500 from their fund at the Community Foundation to Tees Valley Arts towards an environmental education project working with families with children under the age of five.
The Eager Beavers project aims to teach the whole family about their natural environment, wildlife diversity and conservation issues through play, dance, visuals and drama.
Over 40 families from around Middlesbrough are expected to get involved and ultimately it is hoped that the families will become more engaged with environment protection issues such as recycling, energy saving and water conservation.
Nicola Andrews from eaga visited the Eager Beaver Project at Linthorpe Children’s Centre, she said:
“This is a fun and exciting way to encourage local families and youngsters to discover the natural world around them and to cherish and protect it. It is just the type of grass roots environment project that we are looking to fund and we are delighted to offer our support ”
Joe Dunne, Tees Valley Arts’ Heritage & Environment Officer who manages the project added:
“This form of positive and empathetic learning is crucial for participants under five years old, to instil a considerate and enjoyable outlook to their environment from their earliest years. All workshop sessions will empower participants to make positive choices about their own lives that also have benefits for the environment.”
5th August 2009
Tees Valley Arts awarded major grant from The Baring Foundation
Tees Valley Arts is celebrating after being awarded a grant of £71,962 over three years from The Baring Foundation to support its work with refugees and asylum seekers.
The grant will permit Tees Valley Arts to employ a part-time Refugee Arts Worker with the dedicated remit of developing, supporting, co-ordinating and promoting the cultural activities of newly arrived peoples and their creative/cultural interests.
An example of the work that TVA has developed in this sector is WorldFest which celebrates diversity in the Tees Valley and showcases world class talent. WorldFest, now in its fourth year, has brought acts such as Tinariwen, Aswad, Horace Andy and Gregory Isaacs to the region.
The worker would be based at and managed by TVA but would offer a service to other partner organisations in the Tees Valley, such as ARC, Stockton, the Tees Valley Refugee Service and the five Local Authorities.
Rowena Sommerville, Director of Tees Valley Arts commented ”we are delighted to have been awarded this grant from the Baring Foundation’s Arts Programme, one of only eight made nationally. We believe that creative activity supports individuals, groups and communities and promotes cross-cultural dialogue and understanding, to the benefit of those communities and of the host populations.”
50 Cent and Giant Hares – it must be Arts Award!
Date: 22/06/09
Sophie Ryder’s Giant Hare sculptures at Yorkshire Sculpture Park have been some of the inspirational pieces that are helping young people from Middlesbrough to explore the arts and achieve a national qualification.
As part of their Arts Award, trips to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Baltic have seen young people taking part in stART interacting with pieces by Sophie Ryder, Andy Goldsworthy and Yoko Ono to name but a few.
As part of The Cultural Volunteering Programme, and managed by Tees Valley Arts, stART works with young people who, for a variety of reasons are not currently in education, training or employment. Many had never been to a cultural venue before, and found that the visits widened their understanding of the arts and creative industries – particularly interactive works, which drew deeply personal responses.
Arts Award is a national qualification which supports young people aged 11-25 to develop as artists and arts leaders. Arts Award runs at three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold (Levels 1, 2 and 3 on the National Qualifications Framework) and can work effectively in a variety of settings, and, more importantly, for all young people.
Jane Gray, Education Officer, Tees Valley Arts commented ‘part of the Bronze Arts Award involves researching an Arts Hero, and during the stART project, subjects have ranged from 50 Cent to Girls Aloud and MC’s from Hartlepool’
When asked what they have gained from the project, participants have responded positively:
‘I have more confidence to explore new skills.’
‘I didn’t expect to do half the things on the project. It was class’’It’s the first time I’ve completed something in full.’‘I will use the stART project on my CV for further employment’
‘The Arts Award will help in the future. This course has also helped me get onto another art course, which will help in my future career’
Mark Robinson, Executive Director of Arts Council England, North East said: ‘Arts Award recognises a passion for and dedication to the arts by young people. Arts Council England is committed to great art for everyone and we believe that the more children and young people are creatively inspired, the more likely they are to have a lifelong engagement with art.’
Arts education professionals, teachers and artists can find out more about delivering the Arts Award to the young people they work with at adviser training. This is a one-day training course, and is being offered by Tees Valley Arts on Monday 6th July and Tuesday 3rd November. To book go to www.artsaward.org.uk/booktraining
The stART project is part of the Cultural Volunteering Programme, funded by One North East and Visit Tees Valley, with additional funding and support from Middlesbrough Connexions.
For more information please contact:
Tees Valley Arts info@teesvalleyarts.org.uk 01642 264651
WorldFest 09
WorldFest celebrates diversity in the Tees Valley and showcases world class talent
Set towards the end of May, just as we’re easing into summer, WorldFest brings something different to the cultural life of the Tees Valley, with a packed schedule of events.
Rowena Sommerville from Festival organisers Tees Valley Arts commented "Past years’ WorldFests have featured acts such as Tinariwen, Gregory Isaacs and Kanda Bongo Man (who played to a crowded Trafalgar Square the next day) and we are sure that WorldFest 09 is going to be even bigger and better than previous years".
Headliners this year (Saturday May 23rd Middlesbrough Town Hall) will be Aswad and Horace Andy (long-time vocalist with Massive Attack) with his regular band Dub Asante. Rowena Sommerville added "These bands have made a huge contribution to music over the years and are truly called ‘legends of reggae’."
Horace Andy has been recording since the 1960s and many people will know him from his collaboration with Massive Attack on the track ‘Angel’.
Aswad have had a string of hits including the number one ‘Don’t Turn Around’ as well as ‘Shine’ and ‘Give a Little Love’.
Later that same night the Beta Simon Band and Soznak will play in the Town Hall Crypt – Beta Simon (star of African and French reggae) and his band played at WorldFest 08 and were a huge hit with the crowd – they got the night off to a dancing start. Soznak are a fusion of UK and world musicians who are based in Newcastle – they are calling in at WorldFest before hitting the road for Romania!
There will also be a packed and varied WorldFest programme including a youth event, a Soul-MaP music and poetry night, an African night at ARC Stockton and a host of WorldFest linked events – please look at the festival programme page.
WorldFest is not a commercial festival; it has some free events as well as ticketed ones – any profit made is re-invested for next year’s programme.
WorldFest 09 is brought to you by Tees Valley Arts in partnership with African Arts Association and Middlesbrough Council.
WorldFest is funded by the Northern Rock Foundation and Arts Council England, with additional support from Middlesbrough Council, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Unison and local businesses. Our thanks go to all our supporters and sponsors!
For further information please contact Rowena Sommerville, Acting Director, Tees Valley Arts on 01642 264651 or Maurice Dezou, Programme Director on 07525053193.
Download a WorldFest programme pdf (2.15 mb)
8th December 2008
Partridge inspires fantasy bird collection at Redcar Primary School
December 2008 and it’s cold, dull and miserable outside, but what should we find in a Redcar primary school hall, but an array of beautiful brightly coloured birds perched on trees with a perfect blue sky and fluffy white clouds in the background. So, they may be made of felt, but they have transformed St Benedict’s Catholic VA Primary School hall into a fantasy tropical paradise.
For six weeks, textile artist Serena Partridge has been working with those pupils, who have designed and made their own 3D fantasy birds and trees using felt-making. Katie Haycock, the teacher responsible for gifted and talented pupils, contacted Tees Valley Arts because she wanted to give pupils who excelled in art the opportunity to work with a professional artist, producing a permanent piece for exhibition within the school.
Jane Gray, Education Officer at Tees Valley Arts said “Watching the group choose the colours they wanted to use, then carefully pull the soft wool apart to layer up their design was fascinating – the concentration tongues came out and the children were fully immersed! Even when Serena gave them the water spray guns to dampen the wool prior to soaping and rolling it, there were no water fights, just absolute focus and enjoyment in what they were doing.”
2nd December 2008
Children were given some expert advice on creativity when they met up with an artist on a Teesside building site.
About 20 children from Newport Primary School, in Middlesbrough, went to St Paul's Road on Monday 1st December, where Erimus Housing is building up an estate.
Artist Adrian Moule approached Middlesbrough's largest landlord after he spotted the large white hoardings around the site.
Rather than leaving the boards blank, Erimus Housing agreed to let Adrian smarten up the hoardings by painting scenes of Tees Valley heritage, local landmarks and wildlife on them.
When the children met the artist on the site, they learned about creating murals, as well as the need for health and safety on building sites.
Rowena Sommerville, Acting Director of Tees Valley Arts, who Mr Moule frequently works on projects with, said: "This is a great idea and we hope it may be possible to expand activities in the future."
And Adrian said: "I am hoping this is the beginning of a project that could be extremely beneficial to a wide range of people. It means school and businesses becoming more involved with local communities."
17 November 2008
“…and we say nonsense?”
An exciting new multi-media artwork was premiered recently at an exclusive screening and exhibition at Darlington Arts Centre.
Looked After Young People from Darlington have been spending their Saturday mornings learning new skills and creating a range of content since March for the exhibition “…and we say nonsense?”
Working with artists from Scruff Productions Limited. the young people have completed a range of workshops in animation, creative writing, music and video and mastered many new skills in order to present their work.
“…and we say nonsense?” was screened to a specially invited audience of friends, parents and carers, workers & Councillors from across Darlington, giving the young people a chance to have their voices heard and opinions listened to. The Worshipful The Mayor of Darlington, Cllr Haszeldine congratulated the work and achievements of the young people, and presented them with certificates.
Jane Gray, Education Officer at Tees Valley Arts commented “The project has been very successful and Scruff Productions involvement with the young people has really built their confidence and arts skills and given them an appetite for more involvement.”
Councillor Chris McEwan, Darlington Council's Cabinet Member for Children's Services said: "The young people involved gave an excellent exhibition. It was a great event, showing the many talents this group of creative young people have."
The project has been supported by Darlington Borough Council’s Children’s Services and Arts Development Teams, with Tees Valley Arts and Scruff Productions.
The animated section of the film project can be viewed at www.scruffproductions.co.uk/player.php?id=7
Meeting and Training Room Hire
Are you looking for a meeting room or training facilities in Middlesbrough?
Tees Valley Arts have two rooms available for hire in our premises in Melrose House. The meeting and training rooms are located on the ground floor and each room can be hired for daytime meetings.
We are located in central Middlesbrough, close to public car parks.
For further information please contact Anne Marie Wilson or Andrea Williams on 01642 264651.
7th October 2008
Tees Valley Arts awarded major grant from The Ernest Cook Trust
Tees Valley Arts is celebrating after being awarded a grant of £10,000 from The Ernest Cook Trust to support its work in environmental arts.
The Ernest Cook Trust is a charitable trust which was set up in 1952 by the late Ernest Cook, a grandson of Thomas Cook, the founder of Cook’s Travel Agency.
The grant will help fund the arts development agency’s Heritage and Environment programme; TVA’s Heritage & Environment Officer, Joe Dunne, commented “we are delighted that The Ernest Cook Trust’s grant will support our work”. Using a variety of different artforms, TVA works with schools and environmental organisations to increase awareness and understanding of environmental issues and to enhance the use of local green spaces.
The Heritage and Environment Programme has developed a programme of environmental learning sessions that introduce and explore key issues surrounding climate change and the environment through fun, interactive and creative art forms. These sessions are aimed at key stages 1 to 4 and are open to all Tees Valley schools. Topics include trees and deforestation, habitats and minibeasts, the carbon footprints of food and transport, biodiversity, recycling, and renewable energy. The workshops also provide an engaging means for learners to explore issues related to Sustainable Schools and Eco-schools. Leaflets outlining the sessions can be obtained from Tees Valley Arts.
Tees Valley Arts becomes Arts Award Training Centre
Middlesbrough based Arts Development Agency; Tees Valley Arts is delighted to announce that it has become the Tees Valley Training Centre for the national Arts Award scheme.
The Arts Award supports young people to develop as artists and arts leaders and is available throughout England. The Arts Award is a nationally recognised qualification at levels – 1, 2 & 3; Bronze, Silver and Gold.
The Arts Award is run by Arts Council England and Trinity Guildhall. Arts Council England is responsible for advocacy, access, partnership development and business sponsorship, while Trinity Guildhall takes responsibility for training, registration, moderation, quality assurance and making awards.
Rosi Lister, Executive Director of Tees Valley Arts said “The Arts Award is central to many of our new initiatives, providing an opportunity to accredit young people’s achievement when participating in the creative arts. The award represents a real step forward for young people including those who have, for what ever reason become disengaged with mainstream education and need to get back onto the ladder.”
Tees Valley Arts can offer in-house as well as nationally coordinated Arts Award Adviser training. TVA can also provide professional training for schools about to embark on The Creative and Media 14-19 Diploma which is an exciting new qualification for young people in England aged 14-19, who want to learn about some of the UK's most dynamic industries. The Diploma covers a rich range of disciplines including film, TV and fashion. Students of the Diploma will gain knowledge, experience and skills enabling them to master processes common to all creative industries. These Diplomas are a direct Government response to demands from industry for more young people to be fit and ready for today's modern working and learning environments.
The Creative and Media 14-19 Diplomas will have a blend of academic education (classroom based) and applied learning (project based work in realistic situations and/or in the workplace).
The new Diplomas will enable students of all abilities to work towards a high calibre qualification that is directly relevant to their lives and work.