Ben OsborneThe Arts Barge Project is a large (and growing) group of musicians, performers and supporters who want make sure that York’s community arts scene is right at the forefront of the city’s cultural life. It’s a wonderful project that adds so much to York’s cultural life, but to raise the funds they need our help, and there’s only 12 days to go to help raise the money needed.
While just the word ‘community’ might have some people running for the exits, there’s nothing amateur about what these guys offer and it’s precisely their mix of the seriously talented and the genuinely community-focussed that makes what they do so unique – not to mention the fact that they want to do all this on a barge!
In 2011 the project rented a barge for several weeks in order to host a selection of entertaining fun for all ages. They had a café bar selling local produce and fantastic locally brewed beers for each customer to relax and enjoy a range of comedy, music, cabaret, plays, open mic and artwork. The barge proved to be very successful with purely positive feedback. With praise such as “I feel like I’ve been on holiday. Met so many lovely people, enjoyed a drink. I think it should be here permanently” there is no rationale that the barge shouldn’t sail back to stay. There was a also a sense that the barge and it’s artistic community filled a gap within the city that many were crying out for.
It really was a wonderful place to sit outside, talk to relaxed, interesting people, and enjoy the riverside atmosphere for an afternoon, before heading into the barge to enjoy some excellent local talent perform.
They’re currently running a funding appeal to raise £5000 to buy their very own barge-venue and they’re nearly there! Only £1180 to raise in the 12 days and they need your help. Visit their crowd-funding website to check out the video of their project when it floated during last year’s Festival of the Rivers and to make a pledge. They’re not asking for something for nothing – every single pledge gets rewarded with a gift!
So, check out what you can give and what you can get and help these guys give you your very own community barge! Click here for their funding page.
