Help Keep NOISELAB Open!

Initially funded for 6 months by Manchester City Council the NOISELAB is now due to close towards the end of May 2010. The NOISE Charity have secured the lease until November 2010 and we want it to remain open full time until we have to say good bye properly.

Please sign this petition to help NOISELAB keep its creative doors open to provide YOU with a central place to create, collaborate, network, learn and derive an income from your creativity.
All with the aim of helping young people to boost and realise their creative potential and in turn enhance the future workforce of the creative industries.

Show your support now, and well deliver the results to the people that matter.

What NOISELAB has achieved.
In danger of becoming a permanent eyesore and reminder of the economic downturn NOISE took over the former Shellys shoe shop in late 2009.

NOISELAB guerrilla pop up shop, in the heart of Manchesters city centre, on Market Street, one of the busiest shopping miles in Europe, with a monthly footfall over 2million people.

has attracted over 25,000 visitors (December 2009 April 2010).
There are over 100 artists selling and exhibiting their work at NOISELAB

NOISELAB aims to offer invaluable opportunities to young creatives, communities and students to develop their skills and build their creative networks and open up the creative industries as a viable career for those young people who may not have otherwise access a career in the arts.

NOISELAB has provided full time employment and a host of creative opportunities to staff and volunteers, including staging exhibitions, the set-up of the NOISELAB media production team and window displays.

Cafe and Lab staff were recruited through courses at The Manchester College, the Back to Work courses for the unemployed and The Future Jobs Fund, a Government initiative to get long term job seekers back into work

NOISELAB has hosted over 40 FREE events, with leading industry professionals and artists all designed to inspire, and equip young creatives with the advice and knowledge to advance their creative careers.

These have included Peter Hook of New Order, renowned artist Pete Fowler, DJ and doodler, Mr Scruff, Simply Red and Happy Mondays manager Elliot Rashman, the stylist to Arctic Monkeys and Kaiser Chiefs, Gallerist and Street Artist PURE EVIL, and Singer Karima Francis, amongst many others.

NOISELAB has received national press coverge in Look Magazine, The Sunday Times, Manchester Evening News, Flux Magazine, SuperSuper Magazine, BBC Radio and XFM amongst many other media outlets.

Testimonials
Its a brilliant concept, particularly as it is so accessible on a high street level. Theres nobody out there doing something like this. Guy Garvey, Elbow

"Im impressed with the space and NOISELAB's attitude to art, design and creativity and the people who have taken part and those yet to get involved are prime choices. It seems a shame that this space may not be around for long and I think it should be a permanent fixture for creative folk in Manchester and beyond. More power to NOISELAB!" Pete Fowler

As the recession continues to bite and shutters continue to fall, councils across the country are likely to watch Manchesters NOISELAB with interest. Manchester Evening News

NOISELAB Is a vibrant and innovative, multimedia communication space. This is pioneering the way city centre spaces can be used to showcase the work of leading edge international visual artists and makers and engage the publics imagination. -Mark Wigan

Every now and then, something pops up in Manchester that highlights the city's strong artistic heart and gives all the bright young art things a chance to shine.
It is an absolutely amazing place that is worlds apart from the rest of the city centre, and which is absolutely invaluable in the work it does, to the public and the artists it promotes and supports. Rebecca D, Yelp Blog

One of my favourite things about NOISELAB is the non-elitism of the place and people. A lot of galleries and spaces I have visited usually make me feel a bit like I don't belong there. NOISELAB is void of this and is very welcoming to different ideas and other ways of thinking.
There should be one in every city in the country. Liam Fawcett, NOISE Artist & NOISELAB volunteer