VAMPIRE mania is set to sweep into east Cleveland after Northern Arts and the Arts Council of England awarded £5,000 to explore Gothic Literature and the art of the vampyre.

The award is part of the Year of the Artist project and has been made to Village Arts in Loftus.

Teesside poets, Bob Beagrie, Val Magee and digital artist Conrad Gaunt will be working together and with young writers, artists, musicians and role players from Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland to develop a poetry, video and digital art performance.

During the next six months, the artists will film interviews with vampire role players, work with local band Confucius Saint to produce and record a film score and run gothic art and poetry workshops with schools, colleges and youth projects.

Sue Anderson, chairman of Village Arts, said: "Village Arts has worked closely with the communities in Redcar and Cleveland for 20 years, developing arts projects and events. We have always been committed to creating opportunities for young people in the area to develop new skills and to be involved in exciting arts projects that build confidence and a sense of pride in their communities.

"We are especially pleased that The Masquerade Project, which has been developed by working closely with both young people in Redcar and Cleveland and Middlesbrough and Cleveland Arts has been selected for a Year of the Artist Award.

"We feel it is a recognition of the valuable contribution that Village Arts has made to local arts activity over the past 20 years."

The project will be launched during "Masque" a gothic art weekend for 16 to 24-year-olds from Redcar and Cleveland and Middlesbrough on September 16 and 17.

The event is free and will involve designing and building a gothic art installation, creative writing, video and digital imaging