Technical Assistant
AJ Handley-Rowe -
10th November 2021
AJ Handley-Rowe -
10th November 2021 Greater Manchester announces £15m investment in grassroots culture
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Greater Manchester is investing more than £15 million in grassroots and community culture over the next three years, with funding set to support organisations across all 10 boroughs.
The funding will support a range of cultural activity, including disability arts, youth engagement, community music-making, theatre, live music, dance, and documentary filmmaking.
Investment will be prioritised in neighbourhoods that are viewed as facing greater barriers to cultural engagement, addressing inequalities in access, meaning these community theatres, grassroots music venues and local production companies are set to be given an additional £407,540 per year.
This investment is a fantastic opportunity for Mancunians to come together and celebrate the beautiful place that we are lucky enough to call home.
Culture is absolutely essential for unity and reinforcing our sense of civic pride, in addition to bringing valuable skills, expertise and new opportunities to our region. Not to mention the benefits co-creation can have on wellbeing and positive growth.
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Recognising the transformational impact culture can have, Greater Manchester has pledged continual support to existing leading regional institutions which will ensure culture remains central to local regeneration, as well as committing funds and support to new grassroot talent.
What’s more is that funding has been secured for enrichment across all ten boroughs, meaning nobody has to miss out.
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This boost in funding will also help deliver on the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s commitment to putting ‘things to do’ at the heart of town centres, with nine new organisations to receive funding for the first time. Included in this are OT Creative Space, String of Hearts, Manchester’s Reform Radio, Venture Arts, and Stand and Be Counted Theatre.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Bev Craig said: “Shared cultural experiences are powerful opportunities to bring people together, create opportunities and build pride. We are investing more than £15 million for culture over the next three years, funding organisations of all shapes and sizes, in all 10 boroughs, so that everyone in Greater Manchester has access to an experience that speaks to them.
“Doorstep access to everything from theatre to live music, dance to documentary filmmaking, has the power to transform lives and shape communities. The Culture Fund is a key part of my commitment to putting things to do at the heart of our towns.”
This exciting £15m investment is to be divided into just over £5m each year, for cultural organisations in the region, across a three year period. This funding is designed to increase reach to more people within our communities and to ensure that the cultural sector remains thriving and strong.
Greater Manchester has also vowed to give the well-known Inspire Fund a £20,000 annual boost, to provide small grants to more local artists, small cultural organisations, creatives and freelancers.
In Rochdale, Breaking Barriers, known for amplifying unheard voices by co-creating work with local communities, have received an annual award of £40,000, as well as Skylight Circus Arts securing an annual award of £27,540 for its inclusive circus workshops for communities and schools.
Doc North, a not-for-profit organisation supporting working-class documentary makers and storytellers in the North of England, has been given £42,000 and popular grassroots music venue, The Snug, has been awarded £70,000.
In response to the challenges faced by the sector, a new Structural Fund of £100,000 has also been implemented to help to solidify stronger cultural networks and partnerships across the region. This will aid organisations to take risks and experiment in the delivery of new ideas.
In a city region so rich with culture and history, it’s about time we start engaging within our communities and celebrating what we have on offer here in Greater Manchester.
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Featured image: The Manc Group
Northern Quarter cafe to reopen after TWO mysterious closures
Daisy Jackson
Morning Glory, a Manchester cafe that has mysteriously closed twice since its launch, is set to reopen again this week.
The sunny yellow cafe, which makes a playful nod to the Oasis hit with its name, opened in the Northern Quarter last summer.
It was created and launched by much-loved local influencer Zack Hipps, and was known for its coffees, matchas, and Manchester tarts.
Then in May this year, Morning Glory quietly closed temporarily, with forfeiture notices appearing in its windows while Zack assured fans things would be sorted out soon.
In late July, the cafe teased its grand reopening, with a post captioned: “Did you miss us? Cos we missed you.”
But then just days later, the doors were closed again.
This time, it seems like Morning Glory is back for good – music to our ears – with Zack sharing a statement addressing a ‘harsh reality check and very public lesson to learn’.
In his statement, the local business-owner has promised that the cafe will be back ‘stronger than before’, with ‘a lot of cool things planned’.
Morning Glory will also be handing out freebies, including speciality drinks, coffees, and house-made Manchester tarts to the first people to visit on its grand reopening day this weekend.
Zack’s statement reads: “Entering the Manchester coffee scene was incredible, but as a first-time business owner, it was also a massive learning curve.
“I’ll be honest: I got caught up in all the things I wanted Morning Glory to be – great coffee, a great space, art, events and somewhere that felt part of the community. I didn’t spend enough time focusing on the business side of making all of that work, leading to our closure. It was a harsh reality check and a very public lesson to learn.
“But I’ve been putting the work in behind the scenes, and we are moving forward stronger than before.
“If the Gallagher brothers can come back, so can we! We’re excited to share that we are officially reopening on 3rd October from 10am. To say thank you for all your support so far, we’ll be giving out 15 of our NEW special drinks, 85 regular coffees, and 100 house-made Manchester tarts to the first people through the doors. Come say hi!
“We will also be hiding a few of our yellow sloths around Manchester for a free coffee every day for the rest of the year – keep an eye out for clues on the 10th October.
“I want to say a massive thank you to everyone involved in phase one of Morning Glory. From the team behind the bar, to the people who helped make our art, events, and collabs happen, to the suppliers, and to every single one of you who came and tried us out.
“As we enter Season 2, we’ve got a lot of cool things planned. We are building on our favourites, expanding the range, bringing back fun events, and showing you more behind the scenes.
“See you on the 3rd Oct! Zack and team. Morning Glory x”
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