Arts funds for young asylum seekers

Youngsters will learn about art and photography

Two Teesside ogranisations have received nearly £87,000 between them to help fund arts projects for youngsters who need help integrating into the local community.

Awards have been made to Cleveland Arts and Unite Ltd, from The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

Cleveland Arts, based in Middlesbrough, will receive £71,272 over two years to fund a number of arts initiatives for young refugees and asylum seekers.

Rowena Sommerville of Cleveland Arts, says: "You Are Here is an arts project that will contribute to the integration of asylum seekers in the Tees Valley.

Anger management

"Working in partnership with asylum seekers and refugees, the organisations that support them and the communities that welcome them, we aim to explain, ease and celebrate their presence."

Projects will include creative writing, textiles, digital arts, photography and music performance.

And Unite Ltd will receive £15,484 over one year to fund a development programme for young inmates in Stockton-on-Tees.

It will enable them to explore and develop communications skills, conflict management and media skills, such as writing scripts.

Dr Andrew Purkis OBE, Chief Executive of the Fund, said: "The fund's support is a New Year message of hope to young people facing massive challenges. "