Tees Valley Festivals: Short-term aims
• To share information, knowledge and resources
• To develop regular networking
• To host events with specialist speakers to encourage learning and conversation
• To advocate the value of Festivals to local and national bodies as part of the shared economy
• To encourage discussion around future collaborative working, co-commissioning and shared programming
Tees Valley Festivals: Long-term aims
• To co-commission work and raise funding to enable the network to do this
• To develop shared marketing and other resources and activities
• To undertake combined audience and other research and evaluation
• To establish and manage a centralised volunteer bank
• To develop shared supplier information
• To develop consistent and sustainable programming and production processes
We have 18 festivals in the network running throughout the year and located across the region in Hartlepool, Redcar, Middlesbrough, Stockton and Darlington.
The festivals include:
Diwali – 29/10/22 - Centre Square, Middlesbrough - Music & Dance, Food & Funfair, Stall Bazaar & Lantern Parade... all topped off with a Bollywood Firework finale!
Nightfall – 1-4/12/22 - Stewart Park, Middlesbrough - A magical family friendly light art trail of beautiful art works, music, performance, storytelling.
Wintertide - 26/11/22 - takes place around the Headland in Hartlepool, illuminating and animating public spaces, engaging, inspiring and sparking curiosity.
Make and Mend - July - Redcar – is a day full of craft, colour and creativity, workshops and artists demonstrations - mindful making that’s good for the soul!
Orange Pip – Middlesborough – a regular artisan food and beverage market featuring the best in local and regional food, live music and creative activities.
Middlesbrough Art Weekender - September - The largest annual contemporary arts festival in the Northeast, transforming the whole town into an exciting creative hub.
Stockton International Riverside Festival – August - four fantastic free days of unmissable street theatre, dance, music and outdoor arts.
Hartlepool Waterfront Festival - July - a large-scale, community focussed and free outdoor arts festival, situated in Hartlepool’s historic marina, welcoming artists, performers, and creative partners from the UK and beyond.
Tall Ships Race - July - the awe-inspiring race series returns, with a free, four-day festival reconnecting with Hartlepool’s rich maritime history, delivering an unforgettable creative arts, music, heritage, and interactive experience.
Middlesbrough Mela - August - Albert Park - is the North East’s biggest multicultural festival showcasing incredible food, arts and crafts, a funfair, street performers, sports, games and musicians.
Curious Festival - September - An award-winning annual celebration of LGBTQIA+ culture across the North East, produced by Curious Arts.
Middlesbrough Pride - September - A vibrant celebration of the Tees Valley’s LGBTQIA+ community, with performances by local Musicians, Drag Artists and DJs, presented by Curious Arts.
Last Train Home, Tracks Darlington - September – a live music and comedy festival showcasing regional and national artists, boasting five stages over three venues.
The Festival of Thrift – September - Billingham. The UK’s award-winning national festival of sustainability crammed full of live music, dance, theatre, talks, workshops, food, and hundreds of wonderful stalls.
Hullabaloo in the Park – July - An outdoor family festival taking place in South Park in Darlington, including live performances, storytelling, making, adventuring, dancing, singing, playing and more.
Hartlepool Folk Festival – September - a fabulous weekend full of dance, stories, heritage, beautiful views of the North Sea Coast, and one of the best folk music line-ups of the year.
Saltburn Folk Festival – August - set in lovely Saltburn by the Sea - a town-based festival with song, dance, music and stories to engage and interest everyone.
Crossing the Tees Book Festival - July - curated by the library authorities of the Tees Valley region to celebrate all things book, poetry and literature related.
Taste of Africa – Centre Square, Middlesborough – the biggest event of African culture in Teesside full of family friendly music, entertainment, a mini carnival, food and clothing stalls.
What an incredible line up!
These are your festivals based in your communities and we want you to be part of their development, their organisation, and their success. And most of all, we want you to enjoy them
Enthusiasm, energy, curiosity, an open and friendly attitude, a willingness to share your skills, talents, creativity, wisdom and experience, and a big smile.
There are many reasons to volunteer with the Tees Valley Festivals: to make new friends, to give a helping hand, to celebrate your local community, to learn new skills, to receive free training, to enhance your CV and obtain credits for affiliated courses.
We are also going to be offering an exciting programme of training, from customer service, front of house, and confidence building, to event management, music and lighting production, artist liaison and collaboration, and individual artistic practice and development.
Our Opportunities
Monday 12th February, Monday 11th March, Monday 8th April, Monday 13th May, Monday 10th June, 5:30pm - 7:00pm, Mix of in-person (Venue- Middlesbrough - TBC), hybrid and online.
Crossing the Tees Book Festival returns for its eleventh year in June 2024, thanks to a collaboration between the library services across the Tees Valley. The festival includes author events, writing workshops, and our annual short story competition.
Sonic Arts Week returns to Middlesbrough with a bang! It's is all about living life with the sound turned up to the max. Let your ears lead the way and come and join the racket!