"A 'Small But Massive' force that supports and enhances creativity and builds the capacity of individuals, communities, and the arts and culture sector to promote social inclusion, educate, entertain and inspire active community engagement". Our vision is for a vibrant, thriving local arts sector that contributes to a strong, cohesive and forward looking community.
Why the community needs usGlasgowbury was founded in 2000 by Paddy and Stella Glasgow who developed an annual music festival (2000 – 2013) into the most award-winning festival in Ireland, celebrating and showcasing the best in new and emerging music from these shores. The festival was established from a need to support and develop homegrown artists at a time when a music industry here was barely in its infancy. Over the years we expanded throughout the creative landscape delivering a host of creative and practical projects and initiatives for the rural area of Mid Ulster.
It‘s our aim to support and enhance the profile of new and emerging artists from Northern Ireland and beyond while making arts accessible and available to all at a local level. In November 2013 our long time vision to open the doors to a working music, multimedia and arts space in Draperstown from which to house our activities while making extra arts activities available at a grassroots level became a reality when a vacant local heritage building was made available.
Before the Cornstore Creative Hub opened there was limited access to learning and other opportunities in the creative sector in the Mid-Ulster area. Glasgowbury's 'Small But Massive' Cornstore Creative Hub has confirmed the need for a local centre to serve the local community by offering activities and services that respond to locally identified needs and cater, predominantly, for individuals and groups at risk of social exclusion at grassroots level. We also continue to support the development of the creative sector in rural Mid Ulster and the education, career progression and showcasing of those who desire to work in the industry.
The Cornstore Creative Hub provides access to activities 7 days and evenings a week and the two spaces in the building transform daily to meet the needs of the different programmes whether it be setting up for individual music lessons, to preparing for group music, film, dance, arts workshops or creating a recording studio space, a rehearsal room or a venue for a performance/gig.
Our impact on the communityCreative programmes and events, in house and outreach benefit cc300 individuals weekly, people of all ages, of all and different abilities and from all community backgrounds.
Glasgowbury provides quality services at affordable prices.
We are financed through participant fees, earned income from our social enterprise, Small But Massive Event and Outreach Services, and Fundraising.
We receive support towards some programme and core costs through public funding from Arts Council NI and Mid Ulster District Council.
