Crowdfunding bid for mental health charity’s new venue launches
A MENTAL health charity has launched a crowdfunding campaign to get the last piece of funding for The Horsfall – a new Manchester venue for heritage and arts for young people and the wider community.
42nd Street’s fundraising is targeted at raising money for the fit out of the new venue once initial building work is complete.
The organisation has already won support from Heritage Lottery Fund, LandAid and Redevco for their project designed by Stephenson STUDIO.
The 15 week building programme has just begun and is being delivered by a team including Rosslee Construction, Simon Fenton Partnership, Booth King and Robert Hannah and will result in the renovation and repurposing of an empty, Victorian shop into a three storey dedicated creative space on Great Ancoats Street in Ancoats.
The project has been two years in development and has received support in its planning from Sir Robert McAlpine and The Homes and Communities Agency among others.
The launch programme (2016-18) includes exhibitions, a project linking with the nearby and historic Rochdale canal, a theatre performance across the while building and opportunities for young people to develop creative skills for a commercial market.
42nd Street has taken inspiration for the project from the Ancoats Art Museum, a unique social and artistic experiment established in Ancoats at the end of the 19th century.
Its founder, Thomas C Horsfall, sought to promote wellbeing and social change through contact with art and nature.
Horsfall filled the museum with artworks, sculptures, music recitals, public lectures and even live birds in a bid to make the lives of those living in the surrounding slums more bearable.
42nd Street chief executive Simone Spray said: “The Horsfall Project is a really exciting development for 42nd Street.
“Throughout our 35 year history we have always recognised the importance of using creativity to support young people with their emotional wellbeing; now we can consolidate this approach by bringing alive an historically significant building and bringing a brand new creative programme to the city that reflects the heritage of the area.
“We will be able to support more young people, give something back to the communities of Ancoats and prove the positive link between our programme and good emotional and mental health.”
