The Artz Community Theatre Project:
Since opening our doors 5 years ago, the Artz Centre is now the proud home to a large Performance Space, Recording Studio, iMac Suite and Photo Studio; and is the vision of a "5 Year Plan", that was achieved in just 10 months. At Artz, we work hard, as a team and to put it simply: for our community - we get things done.
Moving forward, we aim to develop our main hall at the Artz Centre into a fully functioning theatre space, by investing in truss, lighting and stage equipment. This upgrade would provide the town with an innovative, new performance venue; offering a whole host of new activities in the arts, for a wide variety of local community members to benefit from.
The Artz Centre currently provides a busy timetable of weekly sessions in performance based disciplines; and with this facility upgrade, Artz could provide courses based in the Technical Theatre subjects, too. Such as lighting, sound and set design, photography and stage management.
What we'll deliver:
- Build truss and purchase additional lighting and stage equipment.
- Provide a new theatre venue to the community.
- Provide a course in technical theatre skills for local people.
Why it's a great idea:
A Hub for Community Creativity
In Skelmersdale, we have significantly higher numbers of young people compared to the rest of Lancashire. Across the 6 wards of Skelmersdale, 39.8% of children aged 0-15 live in impoverished, income-deprived households; a percentage that is almost double the national average of 21.3%. At the Artz Centre, approximately 60% of our current students hail from these challenging backgrounds.
Yet, despite these statistics, at Artz we have a well-established reputation for working quickly and efficiently: offering engaging projects that raise local aspiration and challenge these local socio-economic statistics.
By developing a working theatre venue at the Artz Centre, we will be able to provide a new facet to our existing services. This community-led performance space will be accessible to groups beyond the current student base of the Artz Centre and will also provide its own positive programme of learning activities; to compliment the current Artz timetable.
Steps to get it done:
- Buy new stage lighting truss and theatre lights.
- Buy new stage platforms.
- Install truss, lighting and stage platforms at Artz Centre.
- Open Artz Community Theatre Venue.
- Run a short course in Technical Theatre Skills for Local People.
Who We Are:
Artz for All C.I.C is a social enterprise based in the heart of Skelmersdale, West Lancashire; that works extensively to provide its local community with fun and innovative opportunities in the wonderful world of the Performing Arts.
Our official home is better known as the Artz Centre (www.artzcentre.co.uk) - a vibrant new community venue where our local people feel welcome to be themselves: free from discrimination, without judgment or conflict. After all, our Artz motto recognises that: "It's good to be different” and our core values encourage everyone who walks through our doors, to: Aim High, Work Hard, Take Pride, Have Respect and Be Yourself.
Each week, the Artz Centre is accessed by as many as 260 individual local young people (aged 2-21), who attend bespoke courses and workshop sessions in arts-related disciplines, such as: Drama, Singing and Dance.
