Tees Valley artists shine one year on

Five Tees Valley-based artists are reflecting on a “groundbreaking” year following the Tees Valley mayor and Combined Authority’s £30,000 investment into their creative ventures.

The 2024 Tees Valley Artists of the Year, which included Lisette Auton, Claire A Baker, Andy Berriman, Amelia Coburn and Scott Turnbull, have all seen remarkable career growth. 

Multidisciplinary artist Lisette launched a new book, while artist Claire secured a commission at Bowes Museum and filmmaker Andy advanced his career after completing a first draft of his feature film. 

Lisette said: “I’ve done book signings in shops, but nothing on that scale. 

“It was gorgeous to have the chance to say hello to the people who’d come along. 

“It’s absolutely amazing to go and inspire that new generation of children because that’s how I wanted to be a writer.” 

Andy added: “I said I was going to write this script by hook or by crook so once I got it going, it was brilliant. 

“I really cracked it open.” 

Meanwhile, singer-songwriter Amelia toured the UK and performed at SXSW, while Scott, a theatre-maker and clowning practitioner, used the support to grow his "What’s in the Bag" workshops, securing a significant £50,000 Arts Council grant. 

Amelia added: “Without the support of this programme, I wouldn’t have been able to go on tour – and it’s such an important part of being a musician but it’s not often achievable. 

“I feel like I’ve made not just mentors, but almost friends in this industry now. 

“It’s been the best year of my life.”  

This programme, supported by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, continues to foster creativity and mentorship for the region's emerging talent, helping them achieve milestones that might have otherwise seemed out of reach.

Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen added: “Everyone involved in this groundbreaking project is over the moon to hear the success stories of these local talents – proving our bold approach to artistic support has worked and taken them to the next stage. 

“They have not only grabbed all opportunities with both hands to go on to bigger and better things, but are proving to be fantastic ambassadors for Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool, showing the strength of our creative sector. 

“This isn’t just about supporting individuals – although that’s obviously a huge part of it.

“It’s also about building resilience in our sector, bolstering relationships and driving more collaboration to supercharge our creative economy.”     

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