Key Facts
- The new Boho Zone fosters a thriving digital and creative quarter in the heart of Middlesbrough becoming the North East's answer to the creative quarters of New York and London, a beautiful combination of refurbished Victorian buildings and stunning new design.
- DigitalCity Business is regenerating the area of St. Hilda's into a world class 'cluster' of creative digital businesses. DigitalCity Business helps with every step from planning, to mentoring and raising finance and also finding prime real estate from virtual spaces and hot desks to space in the $12 million Boho One, Technology Accelerator Building and the $5 million BohoHouse live-work studios that provide both work space and living quarters for digital entrepreneurs.
- Ranked among the top 20 in 3D world's global animation league, Teesside University attracts students from far and wide, who mostly choose to stay in the area to pursue their careers in the digital field.
- Middlesbrough companies are innovating on the very latest technology from mobile phone and tablet platforms to creating games used on popular gaming platforms such as Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii.
- The £12 million Phoenix building housing DigitalCity Innovation harnesses the resources and capabilities of Teesside University. It is fast becoming a powerhouse for all things digital and provides a home for the DigitalCity fellowship programme which has created over 100 exciting new digital start up companies.
- Animex, held at the University of Teesside in February each year, is the world's best International Festival of Animation and Computer games.
DigitalCity and the BOHO Zone
The DigitalCity project is fast creating the UK’s most vibrant digital hub right here in Middlesbrough.
Every part is geared toward making Middlesbrough and the North East of England the best place to develop digital media, digital technology & creative businesses.
The Boho Zone provides business space for new digital and creative companies to grow, network and do business. It is the digital media, digital technologies and creative industries quarter in the heart of Middlesbrough, home to new businesses, established companies and support agencies.
The DigitalCity project is delivered through DigitalCity Business, DigitalCity Innovation, DigitalCity Fellowships and prime real estate developments in the BOHO zone.
Key partners are DigitalCity Business, Digitalcity Innovation, Teesside University, Middlesbrough Council and Tees Valley Unlimited.
DigitalCity links
Institute of Digital Innovation
DigitalCity Business Group on facebook
DigitalCity Business on flickr
DigitalCity Business Group on Linked In
DigitalCity Innovation (previously The IDI)
Located in the state-of-the-art Phoenix Building on the campus of Teesside University, the DigitalCity Innovation brings together business and postgraduate research to develop intellectual property, foster commercial opportunities, and create a strong creative industry and digital technology cluster in the UK.
For information, as well as DigitalCity Innovation the Phoenix Building is also home to digital businesses, research facilities and a green screen sound studio.
DigitalCity Innovation links
DigitalCity Fellowships
DigitalCity Fellowships enable digital media or technology specialists from the region to make their ideas a business reality through the use of world class facilities, mentoring support and funding.
Boho One
Boho One is the flagship building of Middlesbrough’s new exciting Boho Zone; the digital, creative and business hub of the Tees Valley.
Bohouse
Platform Arts
Newly renovated, purpose built studios. The latest addition to Middlesbrough's creative and cultural quarter is now open with 16 professional artists and craftspeople currently leasing studio spaces.
Teesside University
Teesside University is the first modern university to win the Times Higher Education award for University of the Year. The university delivers high-quality courses, research, and consultancy - and are a centre of excellence in the creative and technical aspects of computing, games and animation, web and multimedia.
Brilliant digital events include the annual Girls and gadgets computing conference and Animex plus a rolling programme throughout the year.
The BBC called Teesside University 'one of the fastest moving, most exciting universities of the UK'.
Teesside University: Digital Futures Institute
The Digital Futures Institute (DFI) is host to a range of research activities in computing and aims to achieve a balance between generic research topics, mostly in programming research, and the development of new technologies for user-centred systems, such as multimodal interfaces, accessibility and new interactive media.
Teesside University links
Teesside University: Digital Futures Institute
Teesside University on facebook
Teesside University on twitter
Teesside University on youtube
Animex - Festival of Animation and Games (February)
Now into its second decade, Animex exists to bring artists, designers, directors, producers, professionals and students together for a week of events and activities revolving around the creation of animation and computer games.
Video: Animex 2011
Animex links
Girls and Gadgets Computing Conference
An annual event launched in 2008 at Teesside University allows girls from schools across the region to spend the day at the University and engage with all aspects of computer science.
Although teenage girls are now using computers and the internet at rates similar to their male peers, they are still five times less likely to consider a technology related career.
The conference is organised by the School of Computing and targets school girls from year nine upwards in a bid to promote computer science as an interesting and challenging career path.
Activities include sessions on:
- e-journalism
- computer games
- digital music
- multimedia
- animation