Northumbria and Tyneside Cinema announce inaugural graduate Artist in Residence

Northumbria University and Tyneside Cinema are delighted to announce the Cinema’s first graduate Artist in Residence, as part of a flourishing and creative partnership between the two organisations.

Callum Costello, who graduated from Northumbria in 2012, will be developing a new moving image artwork while in residence at Newcastle’s independent cinema from 20 October – 12 December 2014.

Since he completed his BA in Media Production at Northumbria University two years ago, Callum has written, produced and directed several successful short films. The Tyneside Cinema Graduate Residency will give him his first opportunity to work on a dedicated moving image installation with support from staff at Tyneside Cinema, as well as use of an artist’s studio and the venue’s state-of-the-art technical equipment.

Callum Costello, Tyneside Cinema’s inaugural graduate Artist in Residence said, “I’m excited and honoured to have been given this opportunity by Tyneside Cinema and Northumbria University - two institutions which have had a huge impact in my development as a filmmaker. It is an exciting time to be a visual artist in the North-East and the UK, so to be given the means and support to develop my own such work makes me feel very proud and privileged. I cannot wait to get started.”

The Tyneside Cinema Graduate Residency is designed to support the professional development of emerging artists working with the moving image. It is the first initiative developed from the partnership between Northumbria University and Tyneside Cinema, which aims to develop and promote arts and culture in the North East.

Jamie Steane, Principal Lecturer in Media and Communication Design, Northumbria University, said: Callum’s winning proposal is an imaginative transmedia storytelling concept that lives in the blurred edges between art, film and digital media. It’s the kind of project we hoped would come from this graduate residency, and Callum is a great example of emerging creative talent from Northumbria University that this scheme was intended to support.” Tyneside Cinema’s Artist in Residence programme is now in its fourth year, and this is the first time the organisation has made the opportunity available to a recent graduate early in their career.

Holli Keeble, Arts, Learning and Participation Programme Manager said, “We’re delighted to announce Callum as our inaugural graduate Artist in Residence and we’re looking forward to welcoming him to the Cinema. Callum's proposal really captured our imagination and we can't wait to help him develop his ideas and work over the coming months.”

Tyneside Cinema is an Arts Council Portfolio Organisation and has recently expanded its Arts Programme with the opening of The Gallery, a new state of the art, purpose built space dedicated to showing artists’ moving image and independent film.

The Tyneside Cinema Graduate Residency is the latest initiative for young and emerging artists offered by Tyneside Cinema, which also runs The Factory, a free digital art group for 14-19 year olds and Show and Tell, a new monthly event aimed at students and graduates working with the moving image.

To find out more about studying Media Production at Northumbria, sign up for open day on 25 October at www.northumbria.ac.uk/openday