Greenroom has long been a central part of Manchester's art scene, helping young performers and artists start their creative careers. In 2006 just after leaving university a co-wrote/directed a piece of physical theatre called How To Kill A Rabbit for Bear Thoughts Theatre Company. This was performed at Greenroom as part of their Emergency Festival, which gave a leg-up for new North West theatre groups. My fiancée took a four-woman show their in the 3rd year of her dance/drama degree; The Beauty of Her under Electric Light, named after a PJ Harvey song.
Sadly due to funding cuts Greenroom will be closing its doors soon. As a tribute to the massive contributions it has made I got together with filmmakers Ralph Godden and Edy Agar to produce a video. I interviewed Blank Media Collective members Mark Devereux and John Leyland about their experiences and feelings towards Greenroom and its staff and collaborators. Both Mark and John have had close working relationships with Greenroom, and owe a lot of their success with BMC to the help and advice they have received there. In this video they speak openly, honestly and emotionally about their memories of Greenroom, and the loss they will feel.
Go to this Greenroom blog to leave your thoughts and tributes.
The Greenroom, Manchester from Ralph Godden on Vimeo.
Statement from greenroom
Posted April 15th, 2011 by Lisa
Following the recent disappointing news that greenroom is not part of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio for 2012/13 onwards, the Board has made a decision that greenroom, Manchester, will close to the public at the end of May this year.
We would like to have continued but are unable to do this without confirmed funding or alternative income going forward.
greenroom, since its inception, has been at the forefront of discovering and pioneering Manchester, national and international ‘firsts’. We have been consistently committed to developing and presenting new and experimental performance, and more recently supporting and enabling artists at the start of their careers to be innovative, take risks and experiment with new ideas.
Our aim is to ensure that this important work continues through other organisations and individual artists/ artist companies, producers and promoters.
We are working with the Arts Council to provide information for people interested in the future production of this work and this will be available shortly on request by emailing enquiries@artscouncil.org.uk
It is with regret that we find ourselves in this situation almost 25 years since the venue opened , and would like to extend our thanks to all of you who have recently sent us words of support. To view or add to these comments, please visit greenroomarts.tumblr.com
We would like to thank our long-standing funders: Arts Council England, AGMA and Manchester City Council, who have shown a significant commitment in supporting greenroom.
The current Board and staff feel proud and privileged to have been part ofgreenroom; and we’d like to thank everyone – including artists, audiences and partners – who have contributed to its rich history, and particularly to those who have at some point calledgreenroom ‘home’.
Further enquiries:
0161 615 0500
0161 615 0500
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