TEN of the North's leading artists are to share £100,000 as Northern Arts completes a massive payout in the North-East and Cumbria.

The region's Arts Council-funded organisation decided that The Encore 10x10 awards would be the largest given to individuals.

One hundred artists applied and the ten winners are headed by Cleveland Theatre Company boss Paul Harman, of Darlington.

The children's theatre pioneer is being given time away from the Cleveland group to work as an actor/director with companies in Europe and Korea.

Middlesbrough poet Andy Croft is being funded to develop his work based on a prison residency and to develop several of his "highly original" poetry projects.

Hartlepool jazz saxophonist Lewis Watson, now based in Byker, Newcastle, has been given money to develop his reputation as a performer and composer.

Glass artist Sue Woolhouse, of Gateshead, is being encouraged to experiment with new glass-making techniques.

Visual artist Tanya Axford, of Newcastle, is being helped as an emerging talent from the region, while Tyneside colleague Simon Watkinson is being given financial support for his work as a creator of public space art.

The other awards are to dancer Miranda Tufnell, Penrith, Cumbria; visual artist Sian Bowen, Hexham, Northumberland; and Cumbrian artists Paul Scott and Sue Gill.

The investment in the development of artists in the region builds on the Year of the Artist, last year.

It saw Northern Arts fund 27 new residences and spend thousands of pounds backing projects by the area's top creative organisations.