Help us turn a barge into a unique arts and performance venue for York: a place for you and yours to enjoy music, art, dance and theatre or just a local ale or a cuppa and cake with us on the river!

About

We want to create a friendly and welcoming space where, whether you’re a local or a visiting tourist and whatever your age, you’ll feel like it’s the place for you.

As well as ‘pay for’ events, the barge will offer loads of opportunities to just sit and enjoy a drink and a snack while you look at the art work on the walls or listen to someone playing you chilled out lunchtime piano.

We’ve bought the ideal barge, done works on the hull-exterior and we’re now preparing a planning application which we hope will secure us a permanent mooring in the city centre.

Once we have been offered a permanent mooring we can go ahead with the full renovation and, all being well, get the barge open for business in 2017.

But before we can submit the planning application we need to raise funds to pay for essential work on design drawings, naval-architecture work, a sound survey and items such as ladders and wooden supports for the temporary barge cover.

What we’ll do:

• Provide an inspiring hub for artists and a unique performance venue for locals and tourists
• Catalyse regeneration of the river and the surrounding area
• Showcase the best of York’s and the region’s creative talent
• Provide a friendly and welcoming space for all ages to enjoy the arts together

Why it’s a great idea:

Since the closure of the York Arts Centre in 1998, the city has had no comparable, dedicated social arts space for artists, performers, residents and visitors to come together and enjoy the arts on a day to day basis.

As artists, performers and arts-enthusiasts we wanted to create a dynamic, inspiring hub where, whether you’re a resident there to have a coffee, a tourist visiting for a performance or a performer providing the night’s entertainment you feel that you’re part of an inclusive, welcoming and creative environment.

Crucially though, the venue must be able to financially support itself. For this reason a city-centre space is central to its chances of success. The cost of city-centre buildings is out of the reach of most community project’s finances (including ours) and so we decided that a barge-venue would be a relatively cost-effective and affordable option.

It also offers the unique selling point of being a barge of course – and everybody loves boats!

How we’ll get it done:

• Our experienced team of architects, DSP, will continue to oversee all aspects of design and planning.
• Our specialist naval architect will ensure that all safety considerations are effectively managed during planning.
• We have already obtained written expressions of support from key councillors including both council leaders.
• We have a dedicated social media following of over 4000 supporters who will support the planning process. .
• We have excellent links with key strategic groups within the city who will support the application.
• We have excellent links with the local press and local radio who will promote and support the application.
• Following planning, we have a clear fund-raising strategy for the renovation project.

Any donation, however small, is appreciated. Although we can’t, with certainty, predict the outcome of the planning process, your support will demonstrate to planners that the project is important to the York community, which in itself is a major boost to the application. In the event that the barge doesn’t get mooring consent, any monies left over from the project would be set against the next stage/s in our plan.

All backers are invited to our VIP party in July. And as most of you will know that there ain’t no party like an Arts Barge Party!

And backers that pledge 25 or more can join for a Foss Basin tour with a glass of wine at the barge.

Pledge, and to say thanks your name will be added to the BIG BEAUTIFUL BARGE BOOK of BACKERS! This will be kept forever so that you and everyone else can see who helped make the barge happen and you’ll be able to write a comment when you come to the VIP doo in July! What’s not to like?

Marcia Mackey

Marcia Mackey is experienced in project management. She does day to day management of the project including planning and delivery of the project strategy, funding and public relations. Christian Topman has many years experience as a professional musician in entertainment and education. He has experience of working within the finance sector. He currently delivers and continues to extend Arts Barge community music partnerships and projects. Hannah West has a degree in Fine Art and an MA in Art Psychotherapy and works as a freelance registered Art Therapist. She is particularly interested in how arts help people, communities and societies. Her role with ABP is to develop the Participatory Arts and Therapeutic Arts offer, and to co-ordinate a partnership led events programme. Jane Veysey has a degree in Theatre Studies and is a qualified teacher. She has experience of teaching in community projects, mainstream schools and as Head of Drama in specialist behavioural provision. Jane works with the Great Yorkshire Fringe (GYF) in the planning and delivery of the second GYF event in York (2016). Her role is to develop the theatre-based component of the ABP to produce and manage events across the programme and to co-ordinate volunteers. Patron Mike Kenny is one of Englands leading writers specialising in young peoples theatre. He was included in the Independent on Sundays list of Top Ten Living Playwrights and his plays are performed regularly throughout the UK and all over the world. In 2000, he was Arts Council Englands first recipient of The Childrens Award for Playwriting for Children and Young People. Advisory Board Jane Sachedina: Corporate Lawyer, Sachedinas Solicitors, York Jane spent five years as lead solicitor working on public private sector partnership economic development projects in the public sector. In 2004 she set up her specialist commercial practice. Jane also owned and ran The Business Network in North and West Yorkshire. Jane strongly believes that businesses should give something back to the wider community. David Spencer: Architect,- DSP Architects Ltd, York David is Principal Architect with the firm DSP Architects Ltd York. DSP have been involved in the design, planning and delivery of a highly diverse portfolio of projects (both nationally and internationally) and David himself is a keen yachtsman. Lesley Batchelor Director General of the Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE). Active on the APPG Advisory Panel on Trade & Investment, Lesley has given evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee on Govt support for SMEs. She also has invaluable expertise in intellectual property, global licensing and marketing. Awarded in the OBE in the 2014 Honours List and judged CBI Real Business First Woman in Business Services and CEO of the Year from the Congress of Trade Associations, 2015.

ArtsBargeYork

http://www.theartsbargeproject.com/

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Source: Icrowdnewswire