A UNIQUE partnership between a national performing arts charity and Teesside University is paying dividends for both organisations.

Streetwise Opera, an award-winning charity which works with people affected by homelessness, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University committing both organisations to strengthening the relationship and seeking out further opportunities for collaboration.

Streetwise Opera works with nationally-acclaimed performing artists to run a programme of singing and creative workshops in homeless centres and arts venues in five regions across England, including the Tees Valley.

The partnership has already seen students from the University’s BA (Hons) Comics and Graphic Novels work to create a graphic novel adaptation of Streetwise Opera’s production of After Winter, which will be staged in July at Middlesbrough Town Hall and Ryedale Festival.

Students studying public relations are also working to help publicise the charity’s events.

In addition, international students have been providing translation advice and assistance to the charity as it carries out its work with asylum-seekers and refugees.

Siobhan Fenton, Associate Dean (Enterprise & Business Engagement) in the School of Computing, Engineering and Digital Technologies, said: “Streetwise Opera is a national charity working all over the country with some world-class artists so we are delighted to be able to give our students the chance to learn vital skills on live projects with an organisation of this calibre.”