FEMALE creativity is being celebrated at one of the region's universities, which is staging a women's festival.

A series of events, including exhibitions, workshops and seminars, began yesterday at Teesside University's Centre for Enterprise in Middlesbrough and continues until Saturday.

Carol Cook, the event organiser, said: "Middlesbrough council used to run a similar event but this is the first time we have held one at the university

"It is fun but we are celebrating International Women's Day tomorrow and, at the same time, showcasing our expertise in creative technology."

The centrepiece of the festival is an exhibition of prints by June Bianchi, from Bath Spa University, entitled Get it off your Chest.

The work explores societies' differing attitudes towards breasts by projecting images from classical art to 1960s pop culture on to a wall made of casts of 48 women's breasts.

The event also features the work of Sheila Graber, the university's animator in residence, as well as photographs and digital artwork created by photographers living in and around Middlesbrough.

One exhibition, Looking Back, focuses on the old Middlesbrough Girls' High School building while another features photographs of women living in the town.

There are several seminars, including Out to Lunch, which is aimed at women who want to set up their own businesses.

Other events include workshops on digital art, newspaper page design and DJ-ing. Tomorrow evening there will be a celebration featuring music, Asian dance, poetry, and Indian food.

The festival is free and runs until tomorrow.

For more informations, ring the Centre for Enterprise on (01642) 384577.