The Zion Arts Centre on Stretford Road in Hulme is set to go head-to-head in a phone vote with a Sefton cinema for a one-off funding opportunity to scoop up to an unprecedented £80,000.
The Centre is now through to the regional final of the People's Millions and needs people's votes to win one of the coveted ITV and Big Lottery Fund prizes to deliver essential studio repairs and improvements and more activities for young people.
Zion Arts Centre is Manchester's hub for young people and provides creative opportunities for youngsters as well as delivering a great deal of positive work. Zion Arts Centre has made it to the regional final of the People's Millions and will be up against Plaza Community Centre for the award.
The Zion Arts Centre is a popular resource and has a theatre space, rehearsal spaces, radio studios, dance studios, music studios and more.
However, in order to empower and engage more young people from across the city in particular from Hulme, Moss Side and Whalley Range, The Zion needs to upgrade its facilities.
The three elements to this project would be:
- Convert Zion's studio space into a multi-functional performance and dance space
- Refurbish and upgrade Zion's Gallery and gallery workspace into two activity spaces
- Deliver a co-ordinated programme of participatory activity sessions in the summer 2008.
Zion's work is intended to benefit young people from pre-school age to 25-years in Manchester. Zion Arts Centre would meet the objectives of the People's Millions by making a difference to the community.
Zion Arts Centre is a registered charity and is supported by Manchester City Council and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund in the work it delivers and the facilities it offers young people across Manchester and within regeneration areas in particular.
The People's Millions is a televised public voting competition run by The Big Lottery Fund and ITV, which gives the public the opportunity to have a say on how Lottery money is awarded.
Carl Hutton, Chief Executive of Zion Arts Centre, said: "Make a difference to the opportunities and lives of young people in Hulme, Moss Side and across Manchester by phone voting for Zion Arts Centre on Wednesday 28 November."
Councillor Mike Kane, Executive Member for Arts and Leisure at Manchester City Council, said: "Zion Arts Centre is a really popular resource that allows young people from across the city to engage in cultural activity and express their creativity. It is used all the time and demand for the centre is growing."
The contest will be televised on Granada Reports, ITV 1 at 6pm on 28 November. Phone lines will open at 9am on 28 November - when viewers will be able to vote by telephone for the project they want to win in their region.
The voting phone number will be revealed in the early editions of national and local newspapers on Wednesday and on Granada Reports at 6pm with footage of Zion Arts Centre and its Sefton rival.
Zion Arts Centre is spearheading its campaign through new websites and technology. It is embracing the importance to young people of email and social networking sites as it seeks to spread the word of this voting campaign.
Register now to receive details of the phone number on the day:
Email ideas@zionarts.com
Befriend www.myspace.com/zionarts
Join Facebook Group: I WILL PHONE FOR ZION ARTS CENTRE TO WIN £80K FUNDING ON WED 28 NOV
Media contacts:
tel: 0161 226 1912
Margaret Blackburn, tel: 0161 234 4014