£150K BOOST FOR LIVERPOOL’S MAKE NORTH DOCKS
Liverpool-based Make has secured an investment of £150,000 for the redevelopment of space within its North Docks venue.
Make North Docks opened in the spring of 2016, with the company having been working on growing the facility ever since. Through First Ark, the Make team accessed the Reach Fund to support plans for investment, prior to being awarded a mix of grant and loan funding from its Invest for Impact initiative.
Paula Brown, investment manager at First Ark, said: “Make has a fantastic track record in helping people thrive in the creative industries, with great stories of people growing out of the space to do things such as opening shops and employing staff.
“First Ark Social Investment is delighted to have agreed a total investment of £150,000 to enable Make to develop their exciting growth plans, improve the facilities and increase capacity at their site in Liverpool’s North Docks.”
The Make team is hoping to complete the redevelopment by the autumn of 2018, creating a space in the emerging Ten Streets area that is suitable for multiple uses including hosting conferences, exhibitions and workshops.
Kirsten Little, chief operating officer and founding director of Make, said: “We’re really excited to receive this investment which means we can do more to support artists, makers and creatives with better facilities and more opportunities.
“Building the creative community here has always been the driving force behind our decisions and it’s great that investors share in that vision.”
Councillor Wendy Simon, Liverpool’s deputy mayor and cabinet member for culture, tourism and events, added: “Make’s dedication to becoming a creative hub for the whole city is really inspiring and this next step will allow them to reach out to a wider range of people, encourage new initiatives in the North Docks and provide a much-needed events space which can only strengthen the cultural sector.”