Kick Start the Revolution

Kickstart Cafe is a new autonomous social centre/cafe in Manchester. A group of people find unused buildings and turn them into spaces that can be utilised (aka previous Squat Cafes as featured in numerous past issues of Networking Newsletter). Recently they were on Liverpool Road and the centre was very promising, with a cafe, film nights, live music, creative workshops etc. They were in the space for two weeks before the company that owned the building decided they wanted to sell it. As the Kickstart web site says, "It was a shame to loose the centre as the space was truly amazing. Guess what they are going to make now? Yuppie flats! hurray just what we need more of".

The aim of the non-for-profit arts and social organisation intended to service grassroots groups and individuals in the Manchester area working towards positive social change through arts and culture, by providing services for groups and organisations such as:

a free and accessible exhibition area for local grassroots and community organisations, to display and promote recent work and projects of a socially and culturally diverse nature. This space will also be available for specific arts exhibitions
a meeting space that will be used as a resource for campaign groups, artists groups and individuals to hold meetings, plan, create, hold workshops, attend skill sharing events and so on
a space for fundraising evenings, film nights and live music evenings
a book shop and information library with a general social and political content. It will be specifically supportive of local writers, artists and filmakers (with internet and photocopier services)
a cafe/juice bar using local/ fairly traded produce

Although that space has now been claimed back by the landlords, KickStart would like to know whether you would benefit from a space dedicated towards providing a common ground for those working to bring about social change. More specifically would you benefit from the centre in its provision of a space for fundraing/benefits, an exhibition/display area and the meeting/workshop space and whether you'd be able to make a donation (however small!) towards the facilities?

A new centre is being planned for the end of January or early February and support would be greatly appreciated from anyone who thinks they can help to make the new centre open to everyone, focusing on events for all ages. music, food and creative stuff.

Kickstart Cafe (Mancanarchistyouth@riseup.net)

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