MEDIA RELEASE COURTESY OF: TEES VALLEY ARTS

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.