May 2022 – School of Arts & Creative Industries

Inside Interiors

Associate Professor Richard Sober pens his thoughts on a busy few weeks for the Interiors team at the School of Art & Creative Industries

“Its been quite a frenetic May for the interiors team. First came the opening night of the degree show exhibition showcasing the final project work of the BA(Hons) Interior Design, BA(Hons) Interior Architecture and Design and BSc Innovative Home Design and Construction courses. The show was packed with students and their families alongside lots of professionals from practice on the lookout for new talent and it was lovely to welcome back alumni who came back to recruit from the new crop of talented graduates.

Mark Southgate presenting MOBIE certificates to students

“The BScs were awarded special certificates from George Clarke’s MOBIE organisation, with whom we co-authored the course, and these were presented by Mark Southgate, the MOBIE Chief Executive. It was a fantastic celebration marking the transition from study to the world of practice.

“Early the following morning together with 6 of our students from the first and second year we embarked on an unusual design and build project for ITV. We had 5 days to complete this before filming was due to begin the following week. Unfortunately we can’t yet share any details of what it is, but after a meeting with the company’s production and compliance team to share ideas and concepts we hit the computers, workshops and textile and print studios. We couldn’t include anything on set that might be subject to copyright, so everything had to be bespoke made including wallpapers, textiles, fixtures and fittings, so as soon as each element of the design was created we then frantically rushed off to construct and make it before passing it on to the student team working on the installation.

Robson Green with Interiors students — Students with Robson Green

Fortunately the producer was delighted with the result, it was an exhausting, but fun, few days which culminated in a visit from the show’s star, the actor and presenter Robson Green, who generously called in to say thank you in person to the students and invited us all to a special event that will filmed as part of the show. Although our lips are sealed until it’s broadcast later in the year we can’t wait to see our creations appear on screen and hear what you think.

“With barely time to pack the Interiors team was on the way to London for Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW). This is the biggest national event of the year for the Interiors profession, when everyone from the industry descends on Clerkenwell and takes over its streets, warehouses and every inch of exhibition space to show the best and newest interior products, materials and furniture, as well as network and generally be inspired.

decorative glass bricks for interior design projects — Decorative bricks at CDW

“This was the first CDW since before the pandemic and it was clear that the dominant trends are health and wellbeing, whether in commercial office design or within the home. Especially useful for an upcoming live summer project for an NHS Mental Health Hub that some students are going to help us with. At Clerkenwell it was apparent that the pandemic has widely influenced interior design thinking for example materials with infection control and anti bacterial properties were everywhere, not surprising after the last couple of years, as were wayfinding solutions to create clear circulation routes through buildings. There was an abundance of acoustic damping materials to create calmer spaces, often subtly built into lighting, desks and furniture but alongside all these functional necessities there was still enough visual overload of colour, pattern and form to delight the senses.

“Nature and natural materials are huge trends promoting biophilic spaces, all taking care to be as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible. There were some incredibly innovative materials that recycle what would otherwise be landfill waste and developments in the use of fast growing timbers and seaweeds to overcome current worldwide shortages of more traditional timber and plant sourced products and finishes.

“We managed to line up some great people for next year’s course talks, bagged lots of samples for our materials library in the Interior studio and caught up with a number of past graduates who were there representing their practices.

“So heading back to Teesside on the train, tired and with aching feet I’m reminded that what I love about interiors is it never stands still, there are always new things to see, unusual projects and exciting events. Interior design reflects whatever is happening in the world around us but creates spatial solutions for all human activity. Above all, as the last couple of weeks has certainly proved…it’s never dull!”

Interiors courses at Teesside University:

BA(Hons) Interior Design

BA(Hons) Interior Architecture and Design

BSc Innovative Home Design and Construction

MA Interior Design * subject to university approval

MA Interior Design (with Advanced Practice) * subject to university approval

Read All About It!

TALENTED media students have received prizes at Teesside University’s annual Journalism Awards.

The annual Journalist Awards event, which was hosted by Helen Dalby, Audience & Content Director, Reach North East & Yorkshire, took place at the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) as part of Teesside University’s Graduate Showcase.

Journalism students received awards based on exceptional work produced during the past academic year, with winners receiving a week’s work experience at the company which sponsors the individual award.

Winners were commended for the skills learnt on the BA (Hons) Journalism; BA(Hons) Sport Journalism and BA (Hons) Public Relations and Digital Communications degrees

Among the awards were Broadcast Journalist of the Year, Best Sport Feature Writer and Blogger of the Year.

Prizes included a number of work placements with Teesside Live, The Hartlepool Mail along with work experience at BBC Tees; Bauer Media and ITV News.

A number of special academic awards were also given out, including the award for the best degree Final Projects.

Award’s host Helen was promoted to digital editor in 2012 and was closely involved in the award-winning digital newsroom transformation which was piloted in Newcastle and Teesside in 2014 before being rolled out nationally.

Helen was made editor of ChronicleLive in 2016, and in 2019 became Editor-in-chief for the region, overseeing the newsrooms in Newcastle and Middlesbrough. She’s currently Audience and Content Director for Reach in the North East, Yorkshire and Humber, as well as leading Reach’s partnerships with the BBC Local Democracy Reporting Scheme and with Meta and the NCTJ for our community reporters.

Paul Bailey, Course Leader for Journalism in the School of Arts and Creative Industries, said: “These awards recognise the hard work and excellent calibre of our current journalism students and the students were thrilled to be awarded their prizes by Helen.”

“I would like to thank all of the media organisations who generously contributed prizes to this celebration of our students’ achievements.”

Below is a list of the winners

Winner of Vlogger of the Year – sponsored by Teesside University Communications and Development

Holly Havelock

Winner of Content Producer of the Year – Sponsored by Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA)

Tyler Atkinson

Winner of Feature Writer of the Year – sponsored by The Northern Echo newspaper

Scott McDonald

Winner of Multimedia Journalist of the Year – sponsored by Teesside Live

Martyna Dydyk

Winner of Community Reporter of the Year, sponsored by The Hartlepool Mail newspaper

Alicia Cuthbertson

Winner of Audio Journalist of the Year, sponsored by Bauer Media

Chris Cassidy

Winners of Video Journalist of the Year, sponsored by UK Local TV

Alfie Lambert and Holly Havelock

Winner of Digital Communications Student of Year, sponsored by Harvey and Hugo PR Agency

Carina Gama

Winner of the Ali Brownlee Sports Coverage Award, sponsored by BBC Tees

Chris Cassidy

Winner of Creative Communications Campaign, sponsored by Durham County Cricket Club

Jamie Smith

Winner of Public Relations Student of the Year, sponsored by DTW PR Agency

Sarah Peacock

Winner of Broadcast Journalist of the Year, sponsored by ITV News

Charlotte Simpkin

Winner of Portfolio of the Year, sponsored by Great North Air Ambulance Service

Sarah Peacock

Winner of Sports Feature of the Year, sponsored by MFC Foundation

Tyler Atkinson.

Winner of Best Newcomer, sponsored by Teesside University

Gemma Woolston

Winners of Best Final Project, sponsored by Teesside University

Sarah Peacock and Martyna Dydyk

Flashback to Fashion

Just over a week ago, final year Fashion students at Teesside University celebrated with friends, family and lecturers as their amazing creations were revealed in the Fashion Show as part of Graduate Showcase week. Here’s a flashback to the event and a review of the stunning range of garments on show.

The annual fashion show during Graduate Showcase week is the culmination of three years of studying for a BA (Hons) degree in Fashion in the School of Arts & Creative Industries. Everything from beachwear to evening wear was on show in a parade of colourful and eyecatching outfits, to delight the audience.

Our fashion students partnered with students from Marmara University in a collaborative project, which saw an exciting range of garments as part of this year’s fashion show

Stars of the show were undoubtedly the youngsters modeling the “Waves of Wonder” beachwear collection, created by student Michelle Downing and inspired by the impact of plastic pollution and climate change. The collection focused on organic and sustainable fabrics, including recycled polyester made from ocean waste.

Sustainability was also a feature of Nick Shaw‘s creations as part of the Majesty of Nature collection, a stunning range of sophisticated creations for the social elite.

Introduced by Professor Sarah Perks, the show was held in the Student Life building and live streamed on YouTube for anyone who was unable to make it on the night. Student profiles were published in the Graduate Showcase 2022 brochure copies of which can be obtained by emailing the School of Arts & Creative Industries

For further information about studying BA (Hons) Fashion at Teesside University, or to arrange a visit to our fashion studio facilities on campus in Middlesbrough, contact course leader Lynne Hugill

To see the full range of student collections presented on the night, watch the full show streamed on YouTube

Scatter at Saabat Gallery

Scatter is a current exhbition at the Saabat Gallery in Middlesbrough featuring a showcase of works created with artist and academic Henwar Baker as part of her PhD studies at the the School of Arts & Creative Industries, Teesside University.

Pop by the Saabat Gallery on Southbank this week to see their latest exhibition, showing until 3rd June, featuring the work of artist and PhD student Henwar Baker in collaboration with a group of women from Iraq and the Kirdish community.

Henwar at the opening of Scatter on 7th May

The exhibition, Scatter, opened on 7th May and is the culmination of a programme of workshops that were delivered over 6 weeks at Culture CIC.

Henwar collaborated with eight women from the Iraqi and Kurdish diaspora to express themselves through creativity and to explore their relationship with the Northeast of England.

A variety of artistic techniques were explored each week and the images on display at the exhibition were chosen to tell their first-hand experiences and stories.

Henwar is studying for her PhD at the School of Arts & Creative Industries and more of her work can be seen on Instagram.

Henwar at the opening of the exhibition with Professor Sarah Perks from the School of Arts & Creative Industries

To find out more about upcoming exhibitions, events and programmes at Saabat Gallery, follow them on Facebook or visit their website

MIMA Great Create shortlisted finalists announced

Saturday 28th May sees the long-awaited finals of the MIMA Great Create competition and six worthy finalists will be joining us at MIMA with their family and friends for an intimate celebration and the revealing of the winner by Elinor Morgan, Artistic Director, MIMA.

The competition opened to entries on 26th March 2022 and in just over six weeks the School of Arts & Creative Industries at Teesside University received a range of highly creative entries, from music clips, illustrations, paintings, upholstery designs and photographs, to short films, origami sculptures, drawings and more. Judging began on the 10th May and our team of judges from across the creative industries have made their decisions.

Six entries were shortlised, with judges commenting on the high standard of entries

“What a treat to get to review such creative work. There were some absolutely fabulous entries!”

The six shortlisted finalists along with friends and family are joining us for an intimate finals celebration at MIMA on Saturday 28th May, where the winner will be revealed and all finalist entries will be displayed in a pop-up exhibition in the MIMA atrium. The exhibition will be available to view over the coming Platinum Jubilee extended Bank Holiday weekend for all visitors to explore. Whilst you can see a version of the shortlisted entries below (links to songs on artist’s name), we’d encourage you to come along to MIMA to experience them visually and audibly in their full glory, in the creative environment of the atrium:

Ella Miller

I created this piece with a risograph printer to build up the rich layers of history and beauty and celebrate details that are important to me as an illustrator; we have so many local creative hubs, like MIMA and Darlington Hippodrome, that are so resourceful and full of inspiration. I also wanted to celebrate my pride in being northern with a bit of humour because who hasn’t had a giant seagull steal a chip in their life, and I certainly couldn’t live without a lemon top! From steam trains to bridges, the North East is built with strength and radiance.

Jonathan Raiseborough

My entry, ‘Boro Skyline’ is an illustration inspired by the environment and landscape of Teesside and the different aspects of the area that represent it as a whole. The foreground nature scenery in the illustration is based on the RSPB saltholme and Seal Sands nature reserves and the heritage of the biodiversity preserved so close to the industrial areas that represent another, very different, part of the region’s identity. The illustration was drawn in fineliner, coloured in Adobe Photoshop and based on how varied, seemingly opposite, prominent elements of what makes up Middlesbrough and the region co-exist together as one.

Grace Coverdale

I created an acrylic painting on canvas depicting a concept I believe is a dominant part of my culture and region. ‘The decline of the Teesside Steelworks Industry’ as a result of postmodern technology and globalisation. This concept is something that affected all generations in this region.

I chose a long canvas and presented my painting horizontally, as you glance down left to right, you see that the further along the canvas the steelworks become less shows the industry has completely disappeared.

Airen Sopany

Since the theme of the competition is the heritage of North East England, I decided to recall all the memories I’ve made while studying here. Although I have yet to explore the whole of North East England, there are fond memories I have of this region. I’ve decided to commemorate my wonderful experience so I get to cherish it forever with this entry filled with my images.

Jake Beddow

I decided to write a piece of music to represent the history and current story of the Teesside region. Middlesbrough was one of the first towns to be bombed during WW2 so the first half of my track is full of trumpets and loud drums as an omage to the music played whilst armies marched towards battle. Using samples of the UKs greatest sports commentator, Middlesbrough born Chris Kamara, I attempted to capture how Teesside has evolved into a great and modern place as the track also evolves into a more modern sounding song.

NICEGUY

A song I wrote about the sneering at Teesside from those who’ve never lived here

The winning finalist will be revealed on Saturday 28th May – Good luck everyone!

The MIMA Great Create competition

Find out more about our courses:

Live briefs, research and community engagement

We’re often told that research informs teaching, but what does that really mean? Here’s a great example of how the research undertaken by academic staff supports innovative teaching methods and informs teaching.

Senior Lecturer in Comics and Graphic Novels , Julian Lawrence is an award-winning cartoonist and educator specialising in comic books. Julian’s work concentrates on the undercurrents of communication through gesture in the medium of comics.

In June 2021 Julian presented his conference paper, 21st Century Winter Journey, at the Media Communication and Cultural Studies Association Conference (MeCSSA). The paper introduces his visual essay book chapter describing a collaborative comics-based research (CBR) project between a homeless charity and a cohort of 2nd-year university students. The 21st Century Winter Journey project explores the status of community art education (CAE) in Middlesbrough UK, and the ways learning and making comics impacts communities locally and internationally.

The project challenged Year Two students in Comics & Graphic Novels at Teesside University to make comics, do research beyond the classroom boundaries, and explore the surrounding local community. Academics and students partnered with staff and homeless members of Streetwise Opera (SWO) who were staging a performance of Schubert’s opera Winterreise. SWO provides resources and community support to people affected by homelessness across the UK. The task as a class was to collaboratively develop the opera into a narrative with SWO and adapt the libretto into a graphic novel.

Traditional comics-making methods informed the foundation of the project’s artistic practice:

• Rough sketches and thumbnails based on research
• Cleaner pencil drawings and lettering
• Rendering inks and colours
• Final, camera-ready artwork.

Following each iteration, SWO and Julian (as tutor) gave students feedback and revisions.

Julian suggests that analysis of the project widens conversations in CAE through Research Informed Teaching (RIT), Just-In-Time Teaching (JITT) and Paolo Freire’s “conscientizaçāo” (awareness). RITT, JITT, and awareness triangulate and locate learning in a community’s relational and public spaces. In applying these theories with cartooning practices, a powerful pedagogical tool emerges. When students become researchers and make comics they negotiate their understandings of community, their identities, and their futures. These observations are evidenced in the reflections students wrote as well as in the finished comics they submitted at the conclusion of the project. RIT, JITT, awareness, and cartooning guide the flow of artistic practice through shared group experiences within community spaces.

Forms of comics such as comic strips, comic books, and graphic novels are recognized internationally. Creative practices of making comics and cartooning are transferrable to schools, community centres, universities, and care homes everywhere. As such, the medium of comics functions as a transversal language and participatory culture that links people and communities together.

Tragically, the global pandemic hit as students were developing the comic, and all teaching migrated online. Despite increased pressure to self-isolate, socially distance, and learn online the 64-page graphic novel was successfully completed and deliverd as Christmas presents in December 2020. Julian continues to use live briefs to encourage research and create meaningful and community-based learning in and outside of the classroom for students.

The School of Arts & Creative Industries offers both a BA Comics & Graphic Novels and an MA Comics & Graphic Novels

Curating – what’s it all about?

Straight from latest issue of the School of Arts & Creative Industries Magazine , we’re sharing extracts from an interview with MIMA’s exhibitions and collection curator, Helen Welford, who tells us a little bit about her job.

Helen studied BA (Hons) Fine Art in Manchester. Following graduation she moved back to the region and set up a studio. Keen to further her learning she undertook an MA Art Museum and Gallery Studies and began curating at Newcastle University, as well as getting involved with Saltburn Artists Projects. Helen’s role at MIMA has changed over the years. Beginning as a gallery assistant, she moved up through the ranks from assistant curator to exhibitions and collections curator

“My favourite thing about being a curator is working with artists to develop ideas for shows. I love working on commissions and helping artists develop new work. My job is incredibly varied and every day is different. From studio visits to planning an exhibition to designing the gallery’s look and feel, it can be very creative.”

The School of Arts & Creative Industries at Teesside University offers an MA Curating as well as a Degree Apprenticeship in Curating, which awards an MA Curating along with the apprenticeship qualification. The degree apprenticeship offers an excellent opportunity for individuals in a curating role to gain a masters level qualification in their specialism whilst discovering the benefits of networking with other like-minded curators, studying part-time in our international art gallery and museum MIMA (Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art), whilst still working and earning.

Helen’s advise for anyone considering a career in curating – “I recommend that you see as much art as possible. Read magazines and websites and soak it all up. Go to as much locally as you can but also try and go further afield. Art online has really advanced during the pandemic and it can be a great place to come across new artists. Go to openings and meet people. Ask for support and mentoring, people are happy to help. Middlesbrough is a great place to be in the art world and make things happen.”

Find out more about our Curating Degree Apprenticeship (MA)

2022 Graduate Showcase – a Sneak Peek!

May is the month of the Graduate Showcase in the School of Arts & Creative Industries and with just two weeks to go, we’re so excited about the incredible work that we have seen, that we just can’t help but give you a sneak peek…

P.S. Shout out to Becky Thomas, 3rd Year Graphic Design & Illustration student, for the fabulous Graduate Showcase promo artwork! 🙌

Each year, students from the School of Arts & Creative Industries submit their finest pieces of work, the culmination of three years of study, for inclusion in THE event of the year. This year’s Graduate Showcase opens on Monday 16th May and is open to anyone who wishes to come along to see the work of our students. Check out the full programme of events here.

Unlike the 2021 Degree Show which was all online, this year we’re thrilled to be opening our doors to students, families, friends, employers, schools, colleges and local organisations that wish to come along to applaud the achievements of our final year students.

A full printed programme showcasing student work will be available for visitors, along with a showcase of our film and media work on a digital platform. But you don’t have to wait – here’s a taster of what’s in store for you! For each course we’ve randomly selected just one amazing piece of work to show you, to help whet your appetite for more!

BA (Hons) Comics & Graphic Novels

Student Sophie Poole

BA (Hons) Fashion

Student Grace Goodfellow-Lovlo

BA (Hons) Product Design

Student Scarlett Bonas

BA (Hons) Graphic Design

Student Jue Shuen Soh

BA (Hons) Fine Art

Student Amelia Curry

BA (Hons) Interior Design

Student Lauren Bailey

There’s much, much more to see when we open our doors on 16th May AND watch this space for information about where to find work from students of our Music & Media Production Courses, which will be available to view on our TUxtra platform. You’ll see some incredible work from students on the following courses:

Hope you enjoyed this sneak peek and look forward to welcoming you during Graduate Showcase week, 16th – 20th May.