Courses and workshops at Newcastle’s community-owned Globe music venue will be more accessible to local people on low incomes thanks to a £10,000 grant from the Community Foundation.
The funding comes from the foundation’s Newcastle Cultural Investment Fund and will be used to support the programme of learning and participation at the venue, which is owned and run by the Jazz Co-op. Subsidised places will be available to residents of Elswick, Benwell and Arthur’s Hill, and to young adults aged 18-25.
The programme includes afternoon and evening courses in jazz, folk, bluegrass and songwriting, and one-off workshops (both mixed and women-only).
“We’re delighted to receive this grant from the Community Foundation,“ said Dave Wood, learning and participation manager at the Globe. “It will enable more people, particularly in the West End of Newcastle, to access music learning opportunities. I would urge anyone who is eligible to make use of this special offer. The Globe is a fantastic and welcoming community resource as well as being a pretty cool place to spend time.”
The co-op says supporting education and providing services for the community are primary objectives, and it started running workshops and jam sessions even before it bought the Globe.
At first the learning and participation programme concentrated on jazz, but in recent years it has included other genres and this expansion has proved very popular.
“It’s well known that playing music together has social and health benefits,“ added Wood. “Now we can extend those benefits to more people.”
Next year, the Globe celebrates its tenth anniversary of community ownership with the 10 Years a Co-op festival on 26-30 April.
The Globe is owned and run by Pink Lane Jazz Co-op. It was bought freehold following a successful community share issue in 2014. The co-operative has over 230 members who elect a board of unpaid directors to manage the business.
