Gecko receives grant for the Creation Space from Arts Council England
We are delighted to announce that we have received a grant of £499,999 from Arts Council England to help fund the building and development of the Gecko Creation Space on Ipswich’s Waterfront.
In July 2019 we announced our plans to develop a new Gecko Creation Space from the warehouse of the former Burton’s factory in Ipswich, supported by Ipswich Borough Council and EDRM Architects. We are thrilled to announce that ACE have offered us a grant in order to fund and move forward with these plans. The grant will contribute a vast amount to the project, including helping to fund the installation of a sprung dance floor and accessibility equipment, the creation of permanent office space for the Gecko team, as well as a fabrication workshop for the construction of props and set elements.
ACE is the national development body for arts and culture across England, supporting everything from museums and literature, to theatre and dance. Their capital funding is giving organisations like us the right buildings and equipment to be able to produce and present our work. Not only this, but introducing new and improved buildings bring benefits to artists, audiences and the community. The programme supports organisations like us to develop resilience and become more sustainable businesses.
Gecko’s Artistic Director, Amit Lahav, said:
“This marks an extraordinary moment in Gecko’s story - we are immensely grateful to Arts Council England for supporting our journey and our future; enabling us to continue to create world class physical theatre. The Gecko Creation Space is a game changer for us in terms of how we can engage with our local community, nationwide makers and international collaborators. This unique theatre making facility will provide Gecko with a beautiful home on Ipswich’s thriving waterfront enabling the full technical development of Gecko’s productions; lighting & sound, set, props and audio recording. It will support the growth of our world class ensemble of international artists and allow us to share our ground-breaking creative process with teachers, theatre and dance makers, and young people. Recently we have worked with The BBC, The Chemical Brothers, The Barbican, Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre and Mind The Gap; The Creation Space will strengthen our ambition to continue to grow our creative collaborations, developing more artists for the future, engaging a diverse and energised young audience and continuing this country’s rich vein of artistic excellence.”
At the moment, we rent offices from Ipswich School, storage from Co-op, and rely on booking and hiring space for rehearsals, training and project-delivery. The development of the Gecko Creation Space will mean that all components of the company will be combined under one roof, as well as giving us increased opportunities and flexibility for rehearsals, workshops and residencies.
We are looking forward to sharing this journey with all of our supporters, so keep an eye on our newsletters and social media for pictures, updates and plans!