EMPTY SHOPS AND CAFES IN SOUTH NORWOOD TO GET LIVE MUSIC / CROYDON ‘SPACEHIVE’ PROJECT HITS CROWDFUNDING TARGET
EMPTY SHOPS AND CAFES IN SOUTH NORWOOD TO GET LIVE MUSIC
EMPTY SHOPS and cafes in South Norwood are to be taken over for live musical performances in November.
The programme known as The Streets will launch at 6pm on Tuesday, 28 July, on the forecourt outside Yeha Noha Café in Station Road when a percussionist playing eight drums on a giant wheel is set to roll into South Norwood.
The main event will take place in November as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival, and will see empty shops and cafes in the high street taken over by live music and performance.
The star of the launch will be Australian percussionist Ben Walsh – currently in residence at the Southbank Centre – and his spectacular 8ft-high drum wheel made from recycled material.
Croydon band Da Groove Station, who played at the Purley and London Road festivals, are also performing.
The Streets, organised by events producer Serious, aims to reignite the energy and identity of high streets, by coupling commercial priorities with cultural activity and staging dynamic, spectacular performances whilst stimulating local participation and discovery.
Croydon’s cabinet member for homes, regeneration and planning Cllr Alison Butler said: “We’re delighted to welcome The Streets programme to South Norwood.
“The Streets is a celebration of the high street through art and live performance, and it’s fantastic that one of our major district centres is to host this event.
“It’s worth popping along just to see Ben Walsh – by no means your average drummer!”
For more information visit http://thestreets.london/ Other boroughs taking part are Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Wandsworth, Richmond and Kingston-upon-Thames. (Source: Croydon council press release.)
CROYDON ‘SPACEHIVE’ PROJECT HITS CROWDFUNDING TARGET
Croydon’s first successful ‘Spacehive’ project will see artists have their own dedicated workspace to use as a gallery and to hold exhibitions.
The artist-led group behind the initiative, Turf Projects, has been looking for a place in central Croydon where they can plan and host events as it reaches its second year of running.
They have moved into a previously empty shop in Keeley Road having raised nearly £23,000 so they can use it on a permanent basis.
To help raise the money, they launched their idea on crowdfunding website Spacehive, which helps communities raise money for civic projects.
Thanks to this, and funding from Croydon council and the Mayor of London’s High Street Fund, the group has reached its fundraising target.
The Mayor of London’s £9m High Street Fund aims to make the capital’s high streets even better places to visit, live in and do business.
Croydon’s cabinet member for homes, regeneration and planning Cllr Alison Butler said: “Spacehive is a really exciting new initiative where communities can come together and raise money through crowdfunding for civic projects.
“Turf Projects is a great example of how to make this a success, by turning an empty shop into a space for artists to stage their work.
“This is Croydon’s first ever successful Spacehive project, and we hope it will be the start of many more. We’d urge other communities interested in learning more to get in touch.”
Alice Cretney, founder and creative director of Turf Projects, said: “Turf Projects have been working since 2013 to curate arts projects for the public realm in Croydon.
“It has made a massive difference to us as a charity to reach our fundraising target and to receive this sum of money, which has enabled us this year to open a gallery and workspace on Keeley Road to provide a base for our activities.
“This money will help us support artists locally and nationally by providing exhibition and employment opportunities for them; whilst presenting the Croydon community with a great opportunity to experience and become involved with contemporary art in their locality through free events and workshops.”
And Daniel Moylan chairman of the Mayor of London’s design advisory group says: “High streets are no longer about retail alone and I am thrilled that the fund has helped Turf Projects to diversify and unlock opportunities in our most prized urban assets.”
The council say they are keen to support other community groups looking to launch civic projects through Spacehive. Contact Shujah Iqbal [email protected] for details. (Source: Croydon council press release.)