MIDDLESBROUGH residents are having their day and town brightened up by artistic billboards around the side of a college construction site.

A series of colourful billboards in central Middlesbrough is creating a vibrant roadside artwork for the town at the site of The Northern School of Art’s £14.5m new campus.

Building work is now underway on the school’s purpose-built building.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “It is really exciting to see these billboards go up as it marks us getting another step closer to the opening of this fantastic new state-of-the-art home for the Northern School of Art..

“It is great that we have been able to provide this funding for this vitally important project for the school, which is hugely important to the whole of the Tees Valley with its reputation as a national centre for excellence in the art, design and creative sectors.

“As part of my plan for jobs – creating good quality local jobs for local people across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool – we need to make sure our young people get the education and training they need to help them develop the skills they need to succeed in a successful career, and this new campus will help us do that.”

Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston added: “The Northern School of Art’s new campus will be an amazing addition to the Middlesbrough skyline.

“It will be an iconic building right at the heart of town, and these striking billboards are just a taste of what’s to come.

“It’s a development of regional importance, and a major focal point for innovation and creativity.”