Meet the five Teesside artists each receiving career-changing £30,000 investment

The gifted artists who will benefit from a significant new initiative aimed at advancing the arts in Tees Valley have been announced.

Tees Valley Artists of the Year 2024 is an innovative programme run by Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA), which will provide five prominent local artists with a life-changing £30,000 investment. This project represents a daring new strategy to nurture the upcoming generation of musicians, filmmakers, and writers, potentially setting a revolutionary precedent for other regions.

The successful artists were revealed at The Globe Theatre in Stockton on Monday, May 20. They include Middlesbrough singer-songwriter Amelia Coburn, Darlington author Lisette Auton, Stockton-based visual artist Claire A Baker, theatre-maker Scott Turnbull, and Stockton filmmaker Andy Berriman.

Each artist will receive a support package worth £30,000 over a year, comprising a real-living wage bursary and a professional development budget. All five will also be provided with industry mentoring and customised business support to elevate their creative careers.

Tees Valley Artists of the Year aims to establish the region as a powerhouse for creative artists. The successful artists were chosen following a competitive process involving panellists from the region’s leading cultural organisations, Arts Council England, and TVCA.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen stated: “We’ve got a great wealth of talent in our region, and we can all do more to shout it from the rooftops. We’re putting the building blocks in place by working alongside the BBC, North East Screen and The Northern Studios, in Hartlepool plus our investment in our Development Corporations in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough. We want to help our brightest talents thrive and build their careers here and this award is one part of that plan.”

The five artists demonstrated exceptional strength and quality in their field, with the selection panel judging that they were each at the right point in their careers where the programme could make a tangible and sustainable difference.

Charlie Kemp, head of creative place at TVCA, said: “We were utterly blown away by the quality, mass and diversity of the applications we received and it goes to show the incredible depth of creative talent we have in the Tees Valley.

“It’s great to be working alongside the North team at Arts Council England and leaders in the arts in bringing this project to life. The Combined Authority, Tees Valley Business Board and the wider Tees Valley culture sector have a shared ambition to establish our region as one of the country’s engine rooms for creative production, and we’re striving to make it a fantastic and well-supported place to work.

“We hope this funding can provide these great artists with the help and expertise they need to thrive, secure their futures, and take their careers to the next level.”

The Artist of the Year funding is provided by the UK Government through its UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

Alison Gwynn, creative economy Lead for the Tees Valley Business Board and North East Screen Chief Executive, added: “A supported arts and culture scene is essential for nurturing local talent and creating vibrant careers. By investing in our creative industries, we ensure our region becomes a destination for talent, rivalling Manchesterand London.”

This award forms part of a broader £20.5m investment programme by the Combined Authority to expand the region’s creative and cultural industries and visitor economies.

Jane Tarr, director north, Arts Council England said: “We want the North to be a place where everyone can establish and sustain a creative career so it’s great to see the TVCA supporting artists at a key moment in their careers and helping with their business and professional development. We were pleased to be involved in the panels for the five Artists of the Year and looking forward to seeing how the opportunity takes their creative journeys forward.”