A project that began in temporary spaces is about to put down permanent roots in central Middlesbrough.
The Auxiliary Project Space officially opens on Wednesday 9 September, giving artists, musicians and creative communities a 14,000 sq ft home in the town.
The new building includes 25 studios, an exhibition space, an experimental music venue and a growing community programme. It gives The Auxiliary a permanent base after a decade spent developing artist-led work across Teesside.
The organisation began in 2016 as a self-funded sound-art residency in Stockton and has since become an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. Its wider work includes Sonic Arts Week and Middlesbrough Art Week, alongside programmes supporting artists at different stages of their careers.
More than 100 artists are welcomed through The Auxiliary's artistic programme each year, according to Middlesbrough Council.
The opening also lands at an important moment for Middlesbrough's cultural sector as the town develops its UK City of Culture 2029 bid. The Auxiliary is one of the organisations involved in that wider creative push.
For local artists, the significance is more practical than a new sign above a door: permanent studios, exhibition and performance space mean more room to make work, test ideas and build creative careers without having to leave Teesside.
: Middlesbrough Council, with information from The Auxiliary. The original announcement is linked with this article.