Boost for North East digital sector with animation festival expansion

An internationally-renowned animation festival in the North East is set to expand with relocation to a central venue.

Teesside University’s Animex festival has announced plans to move to Middlesbrough Town Hall in a bid to expand the event and engage with local digital industries.

The five-day festival in May, which is in its twentieth year, has previously seen attendance from the likes of Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Industrial Light and Magic and Rockstar Games.

Jo Noble, principal lecturer in Teesside University’s School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technology, commented: “Animex is a fantastic event which has been incredibly successful for many years.

“However, there is a feeling that it is viewed as a closed university event and something that is only open to students and people from the industry.

“Our ambition is to open the festival up to the Tees Valley community and expanding into the Town Hall is the first step in that process. It is more than just a venue though - it will enable us to put on a number of different activities and screenings that members of the public can come along to.”

Mieka Smiles, Middlesbrough Council’s executive member for culture and communities, added: “Teesside University has played a significant role in helping to establish Middlesbrough and the wider Tees Valley as a superpower for digital technology and innovation.

“We are delighted to be hosting the Animex Festival from the Town Hall and hope it will help to engage even more people with the vast array of opportunities that are available within games and animation.”