Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) is a partnership of five local authorities; Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees, working closely with the Business Board, wider business community and other partners to make local decisions to support the growth of our economy.

TVCA’s Growth Programme for the Creative and Visitor Economies is a £20.5million programme to drive forward the region’s cultural, creative and hospitality sectors and its destination marketing and management operation.

It provides dynamic, versatile and accessible assistance for sector businesses to support cluster formation and development.

Tees Valley is the location for a UK Investment Zone which will provide £160million to support and develop the creative and digital industries.

Our ambition is to create a nourishing and rewarding environment which makes this a great place to be creative and builds the next generation of cultural and creative leaders to continue the momentum.

We are providing game-changing support for the creative industries across key sectors.

Tees Valley is a leading partner in the North East Screen Industries Partnership, which sees the wider geography unite behind shared ambitions for screen industries growth.

Sonic Futures is our flagship music development and sector support programme delivered by music industry experts Generator and Tees Music Alliance.

Our innovative Artist of the Year programme offers direct support for local creative talent by providing a £28,000 investment and a year-long programme of strategic support to accelerate their development and help them reach a crucial career tipping point.

We are investing to grow our indigenous festival ecology and nurture a year-round festivals and events offer which acts as a magnet for bringing communities together and attracting visitors to the region.

To find out more go to: teesvalley-ca.gov.uk/business/creative-and-visitor-economy-growth-programme/

The Northern School of Art is a specialist art and design further education college in the Tees Valley, with a history of providing exceptional art and design education in the region since 1870. The School is one of only two remaining specialist art and design institutions in the further education sector in the UK, and is unique in the northeast of England as the only specialist provider of art and design education. Through its high-quality provision, the School aims to provide an outstanding student experience in support the creatives of the next generation.