Spend two days with us exploring public art and how it shapes place.
FORGED: Public Art in the Tees Valley takes place 15-16 May, bringing together artists, fabricators and commissioners to explore how public art is made and experienced.
Friday 15 May includes the launch of the FORGED Public Art Action Plan, a practical resource developed over three years of working across the Tees Valley, and the unveiling of a new sculpture by Alia Gargum, ‘What I Remember about Libya’, commissioned with support from the Henry Moore Foundation. Lunch provided. 12pm-6pm.
Saturday 16 May is a drop-in day with creative activities, a chance to meet commissioners, and open conversations around public art and place. 10.30am-2.30pm.
📍The Auxiliary, 31 Station Street, TS1 1SR
🔗 Spaces are free but limited, register via the link in bio.
@henrymoorefdn_grants@teesvalley_ca@navigatornorth@alia_studio_
❗WE NEED YOUR HELP ❗
Since August 2025, a local property developer has been disrupting our connection to electricity. They are in dispute with Northern Powergrid about this. After months of wrangling between Northern Power and the property developer, we were finally given the go-ahead for the electricity to be connected this morning, Tuesday, April 7.
Now, for the third time since August they have obstructed this. Today there was a purposefully parked car there stopping the dig by Northern Powergrid. On each occasion these interruptions were accompanied with intimidating behaviour which has been reported to the police.
Our partners, Arts Council England (ACE), Middlesbrough Development Corporation (MDC), Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA), Middlesbrough Council (MBC), and Northern Powergrid agree that this behaviour is illegal.
We are an arts organisation supporting communities of Middlesbrough with free access to arts festivals, gigs and exhibitions. We have 27 artists waiting to get into their studios. We are asking you to help us put pressure on Northern Power to resolve this as soon as possible.
🔗 If you’re a resident of Middlesbrough, please contact Andy McDonald with the template email linked in our bio. Anyone can contact Northern Power Grid using the template on our blog. Find more information about how you can help via the link in our bio.
💚 Please share far and wide.
We need immediate action!
#theauxiliary
🌞 Sunshine and concrete. A good delivery day! 🌞
David Stupple of @cowsikeworkshop designed these incredible plinths as part of FORGED, one of which will be the base for @alia_studio_ ’s public sculpture What I Remember About Libya.
Alia’s sculpture is supported by the Henry Moore Foundation, and co-funded through FORGED, an initiative led by Middlesbrough Art Week and Navigator North, with backing from the Tees Valley Combined Authority.
What I Remember About Libya will be installed in The Auxiliary community garden in spring.
@henrymoorefdn_grants@navigatornorth@teesvalley_ca@alia_studio_
This Friday and Saturday join us for FORGED: Public Art in the Tees Valley.
Day one brings together artists, fabricators, commissioners and local authorities for a focused afternoon of talks and conversation, alongside the launch of the FORGED Public Art Action Plan, a practical resource developed over three years of working across the Tees Valley.
In conversation across the day: Stella Hall, Vicky Holbrough, Stuart Langley (via video), Adam Shaw, Rueben Kench, Liam Slevin, Edel O’ Reilly, Kate Watson, Frances Smith, Alia Gargum and David Stupple.
We’ll also unveil a new sculpture by Alia Gargum, ‘I Remember Libya’, commissioned through FORGED with support from Tees Valley Combined Authority and The Henry Moore Foundation.
Day two is a drop-in day with opportunities to take part in creative activities including those from our Common Ground garden, meet commissioners, and continue conversations around public art and place.
The event is free and open to all, you just need to register your place at the link in bio.
1️⃣ Friday 15 May, 10:00 - 18:00
2️⃣ Saturday 16 May, 10:30 - 14:30
📍The Auxiliary, 31 Station Street, TS1 1SR
@henrymoorefdn_grants@teesvalley_ca@navigatornorth@alia_studio_@vickyholbrough@asmoggyworld@stu.art.langley@contempainting@slevin.liam@edel_ni_raghallaigh@lou_frances@cowsikeworkshop@beam_artsuk
Applications for the North East Open Call are now closed. 🥲
✨ Thanks so much to everyone who applied. We received 300 submissions! ✨
😍 We’re excited to see your work.
We’ll get back to you by April 25 to let you know if you have been successful in progressing to the second round.
💚 Every year we’re so impressed by the huge amount of talent in the North East, and we’re committed to championing artists from our region.
🔗 As always, stay up to date with the latest news via our mailing list. Link in bio.
#MAW26
💥 Submissions for the North East Open Call close tonight, March 29 at midnight! 💥
✨ Iris Ollier was one of the five selected artists for last year’s North East Open Call at Middlesbrough Art Week. ✨
💌 To apply, send an email to [email protected] with a link to a specific work on your website, Instagram, etc. or via a file sharing link. If linking to social media, please specify which piece. You’re also welcome to include a short text in the email body (max 200 words) explaining your work.
🔗 Head to our site for more info. Link in bio.
📸 @racheldeakin_
#MAW26
🗣️ There are just 2 days left to apply to the North East Open Call ❗💥
🎯 Submissions will close at midnight on Sunday, March 29. Don’t miss out!
💌 To apply, send an email to [email protected] with a link to a specific work on your website, Instagram, etc. or via a file sharing link. If linking to social media, please specify which piece. You’re also welcome to include a short text in the email body (max 200 words) explaining your work.
🔗 Head to our site for all the details of the NEOC. Link in bio.
#MAW26
🌀 “Being part of MAW on the whole was a great experience, seeing how all the art was spread across Middlesbrough’s seemingly infinite supply of shopping centres... this is how art should be, right there in the middle of one’s daily rounds in town, something everyone can dip in and out of.”
💚 Petra Szemán was one of five artists selected for our North East Open Call at Middlesbrough Art Week 2025. Read the full Q&A at the link in bio.
🖍️ The deadline for this year’s North East Open Call is 29 March at midnight. Don’t miss it, link in bio!
#MiddlesbroughArtWeek
❗❗There are only 3 days left to submit to the North East Open Call ❗❗
From the initial open call, 15 artists will be invited to apply with a more detailed proposal. Each artist will be offered a fee of £75 to cover some of the costs involved. From the 15 submissions 5 will be chosen for exhibition at Middlesbrough Art Week 2026.
💚 Second round selectors are: Penny Payne, Garth Gartrix, Olivia Mason, David Hoyland and Harriet Sutcliffe.
Penny is an artist & the curator of North East Open Call, working on the North East coast. Through sculpture and installation, her practice considers and brings attention to overlooked women’s histories.
Garth is a contemporary artist based in the North of England whose practice explores queerness, space and materials, using self-imposed rules within a not-so-straight-line where the formal and frolicsome meet.
Olivia is a seasoned development leader with over a decade of experience widening public access to art and culture. She has led stakeholder engagement, philanthropy, income generation, and programme delivery across major UK institutions, including a senior development role at Tate.
David is the founder of Seventeen, a contemporary art gallery with a focus on moving image. Founded by David in 2005, Seventeen exhibits works by emerging artists, with a particular focus on moving image.
Harriet is the Director of Newcastle Contemporary Art and an artist, curator, and researcher. She is also an Associate Lecturer at Newcastle University, where she completed her PhD in 2021 on radical art school pedagogy and the Basic Course at King’s College.
💌 To apply, send an email to [email protected] with a link to a specific work on your website, Instagram, etc. or via a file sharing link. If linking to social media, please specify which piece. You’re also welcome to include a short text in the email body (max 200 words) explaining your work.
🔗 To find out more about the NEOC and the selectors, head to our site. Link in bio.
#MAW26 #theauxiliary
💥 The deadline for the North East Open Call is fast approaching! 💥
🖍️ There is no fixed theme, this open call invites artists to submit work that reflects their current practice. We are not looking for responses to a brief or concept. We are interested in what artists are already making. All media and disciplines are welcome.
👉🏼 We welcome applications featuring existing work from artists and creatives who are from/based in the North East. Selected artists will present work as part of a group exhibition at Middlesbrough Art Week.
💌 To apply, send an email to: [email protected] with a link to a specific work on your website, Instagram, etc, or via a file sharing link. If linking to social media, please specify which piece. You’re also welcome to include a short text in the email body (max 200 words) explaining your work.
➡️ From the initial open call, 15 artists will be invited to apply with a more detailed proposal. They will be offered a fee of £75 to cover some of the costs involved. From the 15 submissions 5 will be chosen for exhibition at Middlesbrough Art Week 2026 and will receive £500 each.
🔗 Find out more via the link in bio.
We can’t wait to see your work!
#theauxiliary #MAW26
❤️🔥 Opening night at last year’s Middlesbrough Art Week, where the North East Open Call brought together five incredible artists. ❤️🔥
Iris Ollier refocused the act of seeing through her lens-based work. Jonathan West surrounded us with monumental painting, freezing our obsession with digital scrolling. Kitty McKay’s repurposed metro seats formed a dysphoric collection of works that were as uncomfortable as they were familiar. Petra Szemán disrupted linear perceptions with a dreamlike fusion of film and anime. And the beguiling voice of Jessica guided us through Harton Moor Estate, a journey rendered as an otherworldly graphic landscape by Erin Dickson.
💚 NEOC 25 artists: Erin Dickson @erin.dickson / Iris Ollier @iris_ollier / Jonathan Lloyd West @jonathanlloydwest / Kitty McKay @kittmck / Petra Szemán @petra.szeman
💥 Apply now to this year’s North East Open Call! 💥
🖍️ There’s no fixed theme, all media is welcome, just submit work that reflects your current practice. Your work could be featured at Middlesbrough Art Week 2026 as part of a group exhibition.
👉🏼 Who can apply: Artists from/based in the North East
💌 How to apply: Email a link to a specific piece of your work (website, Instagram, file transfer, or online portal) + optional short text (max 200 words) to: [email protected]
Subject: NE Open Call 2026
Deadline: March 29
🔗 Link in bio for full details.
📸 @racheldeakin_
#theauxiliary #opencall
💥 Apply now to the North East Open Call! ⚡
We welcome applications featuring existing work from artists and creatives who are from/based in the North East. Selected artists will present work as part of a group exhibition and, where appropriate, through site-responsive presentations across the town during Middlesbrough Art Week 2026.
The initial selection will be made by @payne.penelope , NEOC Curator & NEOC Alumni Artist, alongside members of @theauxiliaryprojectspace and the MAW team.
🔗 Find out more and apply via the link in bio.
#MAW26 #theauxiliary
