SALTBURN artist Emily Hesse is among individuals and groups to benefit from an annual £25,000 investment by Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art in local arts.

Following her involvement in last year's Localism project at mima, Ms Hesse is to launch a pottery project called The Coffee House, which will work with refugees and asylum seekers on Teesside, as well as others, in making ceramics for tea and coffee using local clay.

She acknowledges hostility to refugees and the importance of finding common ground and shared experiences.

"Most countries have ceremonies involving tea and the sharing of food and drink," she said.

The idea stemmed from discussion with a group of about eight Eritrean refugees at a mima pottery workshop last year.

"We used operating inside the gallery as a sort of public consultation process. Rather than deciding how art should be used to benefit a community, we ask the community what art can do for them."

Ms Hesse, a sculptor, was already involved in the New Linthorpe venture which hopes to reinstate pottery production in Teesside and create jobs.

She undertook an MA in ceramics at Sunderland University to gain the skills necessary for the venture. Her workshops will involve techniques ranging from hand building ceramics to throwing clay and slip casting.

A parallel project supported by Tees Valley Arts, called River Tees Rediscovered, seeks to find uses for clay from the Tees. A range of limited edition ceramics made in Linthorpe clay helps fund the project.

"One of the other things we are working on is an online shop with mima called Teesmade to look at how we can start offering employment and apprenticeships schemes with New Linthorpe," she said.

Mima's annual investment in local arts of up to £25,000 will involve art organisations, charities, artists and activists in developing projects that address topical issues including migration and economic inequality.

In the past six months, more than £15,000 has been invested in bursaries, grants and commissions. More than £5,000 will go to new and ongoing activities until the summer.

Director Alistair Hudson said: “The art sector has crucial importance and value in society and can play a key role in developing our region."