Middlesbrough Art Weekender returns later this month and will exhibit work by some of the region’s best artists
Middlesbrough Art Weekender 30 September – 3 October 2021
https://middlesbroughartweekender.com/
After receiving 112 applications from artists, creatives and performers from across the region, Middlesbrough Art Weekender (MAW), in partnership with Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA), today reveals a small selection of the artists who will appear at the fourth Middlesbrough Art Weekender later this year.
Ten hugely accomplished North East artists have been chosen to showcase their artwork all over the town. They are Peter Hanmer, Newcastle upon Tyne; Adam Denton, Newcastle upon Tyne; Michael James McCormack, Gateshead; Jill Tate, Newcastle upon Tyne; Allanah Gales, Newcastle upon Tyne; Erin Dickson, Newcastle upon Tyne; Christina Hesford, Middlesbrough; Andrew Wilson, Newcastle upon Tyne; Theresa Poulton, Whitley Bay and Sharon Howard, Sunderland.
The artists will have their work exhibited at the Auxiliary Project Space in Middlesbrough, as well as in unique locations around Middlesbrough.
“With the art weekender, we want people to explore different parts of Middlesbrough, maybe places they’ve never seen before, or that have never been open before – and with art installations, we put a contemporary twist on Middlesbrough heritage,” said Liam Slevin, co-founder of Middlesbrough Art Weekender.
The artists’ work will encompass a range of disciplines and art forms in response to the theme of Infrastructure. Peter Hanmer, former winner of the Gillian Dickinson North East Young Sculptor of the Year Award, designs fantastical and often dystopian miniature sculptures, demonstrating the power of art as a critique of cultural and political aspects, while Newcastle-based Jill Tate explores ideas of home through oil paintings and architectural photography. Glass sculptor Erin Dickson, whose work is currently on display at the National Glass Centre, uses digital and spatial techniques in sculpture and installation to unravel concepts of Britishness.
Chris Clark, a North East Open Call selector and senior curator at The Glucksman gallery in Ireland, believes visitors will be impressed by the artworks on show: “It was a real pleasure to see the range of innovative proposals submitted by artists and the high level of quality work being made in the North East. MAW will prove to be an exciting and instructive encounter with contemporary art practices.”
The critically acclaimed art weekender is the largest contemporary art festival in the North East and will take over Middlesbrough from 30 September to 3 October 2021. Visitors can expect to enjoy performances, installations, immersive experiences, workshops and activities that are connected to Middlesbrough’s industrial heritage. Middlesbrough Art Weekender is free to attend, family-friendly and accessible.