Blyth arts charity receives grant to build stage and improve accessibility

Headway Arts, in Blyth, offers opportunities to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to participate in arts, with aims of also involving those who are socially excluded through physical and mental disabilities.

Over the last few years, the charity has been working towards the refurbishment of the church on Waterloo Road in Blyth into the Headway ArtSpace cultural hub, which provides opportunities for arts participation for everyone across the county.

As part of this ongoing project, Headway has used a £4,575 grant from the Banks Community Fund to install a permanent 9m by 7m stage within the ArtSpace, which will remove the regular expense of having to hire in staging and also allow the group to host regular and bigger events.

Accessibility features including an access ramp will also allow the new stage to be used by wheelchair users.

The ArtSpace also hosts regular live music nights featuring young local talent and is used as a base by other local groups, including the Blyth Samba Band who will also benefit from the new stage.

Allie Walton-Robson, creative director at Headway Arts, said: “The groups we work with face a wide range of different challenges, whether through disability, struggles at school, mental health issues or a lack of opportunities to achieve their potential.

“Working towards a common goal through the creative arts has a massive impact on participants’ self-confidence and motivation, and helps them build up skills which will be useful to them in other parts of their lives.

“Up to now, we’ve had to hire in staging for any projects that have needed it, so having our own stage permanently in place will not only give our groups a better rehearsal and performance space, but will also have a big positive impact on our financial sustainability and means we can now use these funds for other purposes.”

Jamilah Hassan, community manager at The Banks Group, added: “ArtSpace is already a really inspiring location and it’s great for us to be able to help Headway add even more to what they can offer everyone that uses it.”