Band on the Wall wins funding

One of Manchester’s most famous live music venues, the Band on the Wall, has received £3.2 million of funding from the Arts Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The money will be used to refurbish the dilapidated building, which closed in 2005, and install a new sound system and music studio.

Ian Croal, Chief Executive of Inner City Music, the registered charity that runs Band on the Wall, said ‘We are delighted with the Arts Council’s and the Heritage Lottery Fund’s support of our project to reopen a much-enhanced Band on the Wall. Together with the generous support of Manchester City Council these grants will enable us to provide Manchester and the UK with an international stage for the best music from around the world and a platform for the finest local talent. We will also develop the venue as a resource for music education and professional development. The funding will also help us to restore the two buildings now involved in the project and to develop a new music archive facility. The grants recognise the important role the venue has played in the musical life of Manchester over several decades, in addition to contributing to its growing future role.’

Work is expected to begin in January 2008 with the venue reopening in early 2009.