Young artists commandeer disused Middlesbrough office block

A group of young artists are using a disused Middlesbrough office block to develop their careers and turn their art into commercial enterprise.

The group have been taking part in an innovative programme called NICE (Next Steps in Creative Experience), designed by two directors of Navigator North who have been supporting young artists for more than a decade.

One of these new artists is starting to make money out of his art and hopes to be able to give up his job in a supermarket.

Until 2006 Dundas House, an eight-storey building above a popular shopping centre and one of the town’s most recognisable landmarks, housed a BT call centre.

Artist Vicky Holbrough and designer Nicola Parkin are two of the founders of Navigator North which was set up three years ago to create opportunities for local artists.

Vicky, 37, said: “Young artists face particular problems in finding and affording studio space to develop their skills. And even though they might have talent, they are often not equipped to pursue a career which uses that talent.”

The problem of a lack of affordable studios has been solved by finding disused buildings like Dundas House, negotiating leases with the owners or landlords and creating so-called Pop Up or Meanwhile spaces.

Nicola, 30, said: “A lot of the time they are happy that there is a presence on site. It’s better than it staying empty.”

At Dundas House Navigator North has created studios for artists, fashion designers, illustrators and animators. The vast open-plan office floors also provide ideal space for exhibitions.

And Vicky and Nicola’s search for empty buildings has not ended with Dundas House. They have secured space for artists in former office blocks in Middlesbrough’s Riverside Park, Thornaby and Bishop Auckland.

Vicky added: “Once we’d got the space, we then thought of how we could use it to help young artists.

“We’ve both worked with young people all our careers and were very conscious that there was something missing – even after university – to help those who wanted to turn their talent into a career.”

Both Vicky and Nicola are advisers for Arts Award – aimed at young people between seven and 25 - and decided to use the Gold Award framework as a basis for NICE.

Nicola said: “The Gold Award is all about developing your talent – whether you’re a painter, dancer or writer. But it’s also about the other things that go with being an artist: setting budgets, knowing where to go to apply to funding, preparing an invoice, even writing a CV.

“Starting out is difficult and some young artists have a very lonely and isolated existence, so through NICE we were also able to provide support and mentoring.”

For the first programme, which ended in 2013, six young artists were selected to be NICERs. All were graduates, although a degree was not a criteria, and the majority were working part time in hospitality, retail or supermarkets whilst trying to build their chosen careers.

Fine artist Paul Murray, 25, from Stockton, graduated from Leeds University in 2009 with a degree in Visual Communication.

He had worked part-time for Morrisons since 2005 and went back there after finishing his studies.

He is now also working part-time at the Cleveland College of Art and Design, and getting paid work as an artist.

Paul says NICE gave him the confidence he previously lacked: “I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in arts but didn’t know how to do it. When we started none of us called ourselves artists: we made art but we weren’t artists. Now I am confident to call myself an artist.”

Vicky and Nicola are planning to continue running The NICE Programme, if further funding can be secured.

Helen Green, who heads Bridge North East - which manages and supports Arts Award in the region - said: “Silver and Gold Arts Awards are usually being completed when young people are also preparing for their GCSEs or A’ Levels. They are Level 2 and 3 qualifications and really valuable for young people moving onto employment or further and higher education. But by working with people like Paul through NICE, Vicky and Nicola have identified a new role for the Gold Arts Award.

“At a time when the Government and various agencies are looking for routes, like apprenticeships, to bridge the gap between education and work, I believe NICE should be looked at very seriously as a blueprint to ensure talented and creative young people are given similar opportunities.”