A music venue in Cliftonville has received a grant from charity Music Venue Trust (MVT).
Faith in Strangers has received £4946.68 from MVT’s Pipeline Investment Fund to pay for a new sound desk and stage box to allow them to open up a new stage.
A spokesperson from Faith In Strangers said: “Due to the pandemic, our previous budgets were exhausted in order to ensure our survival. As a result, we were unable to purchase the equipment we had planned on, and would have to rent it in.
“Having a new stage mixer will allow the organisation to expand the types of music we can perform on stage, incorporating live instruments rather than only electronic/synth and DJ shows. This would allow for more diverse and dynamic performances, which is a goal for Faith In Strangers.”
Faith in Strangers, in Ethelbert Crescent, is a co-working space which also runs DJ and music events. It first opened in 2019 and launched a public programme in 2021.
Last year a council request for a full review of the premises licence after noise complaints was dismissed after a lengthy hearing.
The Pipeline Investment Fund was established in 2022 with the support of members of the Music Venues Alliance and was primarily funded by donations from ticket sales of MVT’s ‘Revive Live’ programme of gigs around the UK in partnership with The National Lottery.
Music Venue Trust is still actively seeking further donations, particularly from the wider music industry, to maintain and expand the Pipeline Investment Fund and make it a permanent source of support for Grassroots Music Venues. Please contact [email protected] for details of how this work can be supported.