Where it all began…
Running for almost 3 years through Middlesbrough Council, Creative Factory was a major success and lifeline for culture, developing commissions, bursaries and opportunities for local artists under the guidance of project director Gordon Dalton.
As the Creative Places fund came to an end, a cultural partnership was formed by arts, heritage and cultural organisations. Middlesbrough Cultural Partnership developed a Capital Investment Prospectus and successfully bid for a Cultural Development Fund grant from DCMS and Arts Council England to expand and refurbish cultural space across Middlesbrough, including The Central Library, MIMA, Platform A Gallery and Studios and The Auxiliary Project Space.
10 Year Creative Vision of Most Creative Town.
Back in 2018, Creative Factory was a Creative Places funded project.
In 2023, the launch of a 10-year Creative Vision for Middlesbrough set out an ambition to be the ‘Most Creative Town’; a place where creative thrive and are central to regeneration. Inspired by this vision, Middlesbrough Council secured £2 million in Levelling Up Partnership funds to invest in secure, long-term, sustainable property for the creative sector in the town centre. With consensus from the Cultural Partnership, it was agreed that a new, independent organisation should be set up to ensure investment happened by the creative sector, for the creative sector. And what better name to carry on this work than the one that started it all - Creative Factory.
