Work has begun on turning a former mill in Tameside into a new creative centre dedicated to the carnival arts.
Vale Mill in Mossley – known as The Vale – will become the Carnival Centre of Excellence in the North, and will also feature workspaces and artists’ studios, a theatre and a live music venue. The first phase of the renovation work is set to be completed this summer.
The project is being led by the carnival arts organisation Global Grooves. It has raised £1m to fund the work, including a capital grant from Arts Council England. It will be only the second centre dedicated to carnival arts in the UK.
Andy Stratford, Global Grooves capital project manager, said: “Tameside, as a borough, is traditionally under-represented in initiatives like this, yet the potential impact we can make here, in terms of accessibility and reaching artists, audiences and young people, is enormous. This investment will directly benefit local people and audiences from further afield for years to come.”