Exeter Phoenix launches fundraising appeal
On Thursday 19 October, arts venue and charity, Exeter Phoenix, will launch the You Make Exeter Phoenix fundraising appeal to raise £60,000 for major refurbishments.
The buzzing arts centre is getting a face lift and exciting new contemporary art gallery facilities thanks to funding awarded by Arts Council England for an exciting new capital project. This summer, it was announced that Exeter Phoenix would receive additional capital funding for a specific project to invest in gallery spaces and improve visitor facilities. The Arts Council agreed to invest £187k towards the £244k capital project, leaving almost £60k to be raised from the local community.
For the You Make Exeter Phoenix fundraising appeal, the art venue and charity is inviting supporters to take part in an interactive installation celebrating how visitors bring the venue to life. With over 80% of its core funding coming directly from cinemagoers, art students, concert attendance and café bar customers, You Make Exeter Phoenix shows how its visitors make Exeter Phoenix happen. Open throughout autumn, visitors are encouraged to donate to help the mural take shape.
Funds raised in the campaign will contribute towards the project to reconfigure the front interior section of the building, improve the welcome area for visitors, by utilising new facilities and technologies to bring exciting and ambitious changes to Exeter Phoenix’s free-access gallery spaces, replace ageing auditorium seating and provide essential upgrades to facilities to improve the visitor experience.
Laura Cameron-Long, Fundraising Coordinator for Exeter Phoenix said, ‘We’re delighted with the grant from Arts Council England as we know the changes are going to make a huge difference to our visitors and will have a big impact on the arts in Devon. However, we need a fair bit of support from our community as we still have a way to go with the fundraising over the next few months…but it’s a very exciting time!’
This much-loved public space is used by around 300,000 people every year from Devon and beyond. As well as attending nationally acclaimed live events and cinema, visitors can learn skills from painting to filmmaking and dance, see work from emerging and established contemporary artists and engage with their local arts community. Exeter Phoenix’s facilities and Creative Hub initiatives provide support to some of Devon’s most promising new theatre companies, musicians and artists and nurture a thriving arts scene.
For more information on how to support the campaign visit: exeterphoenix.org.uk/donate
