Donation protected
Hello,
I hope you are safe and well. I appreciate these are uncertain times for us all.
I’m writing to you in my capacity as co-director of Orbis, a not-for-profit company which holds the lease for eight floors of Commercial Union House, 39 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle City Centre. Orbis champions collaboration between creatives and communities and is a vital and dynamic hub for community groups, creatives, charities, educational organisations and businesses here in the North East.
For almost a decade, Orbis has established itself firmly at the heart of the North East’s cultural, social and creative networks and has created a platform that provides an accessible route to set up businesses, build careers and pursue creative and learning opportunities. However, the consequences of Covid-19 and social-distancing measures have forced us into a series of closures, limiting much of the work that we do and this has threatened the financial stability of the Orbis community.
Orbis was established in 2011. The board of Directors are Paul Stone and Christopher Yeats (Vane Gallery, 1st Floor) and myself Jonpaul Kirvan (Ampersand Inventions, 4th Floor). Between ourselves, we have a wide and diverse range of experience working in the arts and the community. None of the Directors takes a salary to run the building.
Each floor of Commercial Union House has been transformed into workspaces for creative practitioners, charities and SMEs including visual artists, performers, makers, illustrators, inventors, filmmakers, writers, designers, digital artists, disability art projects and dedicated lecture rooms. Over 350 resident practitioners, plus thousands of visitors, benefit from the building’s resources, facilities and programme of lifelong learning lectures and activities.
At the start of the current pandemic, I asked for your help to save one of the largest cultural community hubs, and hidden gems, in the heart of Newcastle City Centre. The subsequent support we have been given has helped secure the immediate future of our community. A big thank you to all of you have supported us during this time. As well as over £12,000 in donations so far we are very pleased to have received support from the North of Tyne Combined Authority, Newcastle City Council, Arts Council England, and the TUC. There are still many challenges ahead and we are continuing to accept donations to support all our amazing organisations, artists, charities and community interest companies. Any donations – large or small – are hugely appreciated and I can assure you that these make a real difference and continue to ensure the survival of our community.
Combined, Commercial Union House draws over 150,000 visitors to the City Centre annually.
Without your support, this would be Zero!
Click here to see our Community
Jonpaul Kirvan, co-director Orbis & Ampersand Inventions, April 2020 www.orbis.one
White Box Projects (Trading as Orbis) Registered in England and Wales Co. No: 07764056
I hope you are safe and well. I appreciate these are uncertain times for us all.
I’m writing to you in my capacity as co-director of Orbis, a not-for-profit company which holds the lease for eight floors of Commercial Union House, 39 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle City Centre. Orbis champions collaboration between creatives and communities and is a vital and dynamic hub for community groups, creatives, charities, educational organisations and businesses here in the North East.
For almost a decade, Orbis has established itself firmly at the heart of the North East’s cultural, social and creative networks and has created a platform that provides an accessible route to set up businesses, build careers and pursue creative and learning opportunities. However, the consequences of Covid-19 and social-distancing measures have forced us into a series of closures, limiting much of the work that we do and this has threatened the financial stability of the Orbis community.
Orbis was established in 2011. The board of Directors are Paul Stone and Christopher Yeats (Vane Gallery, 1st Floor) and myself Jonpaul Kirvan (Ampersand Inventions, 4th Floor). Between ourselves, we have a wide and diverse range of experience working in the arts and the community. None of the Directors takes a salary to run the building.
Each floor of Commercial Union House has been transformed into workspaces for creative practitioners, charities and SMEs including visual artists, performers, makers, illustrators, inventors, filmmakers, writers, designers, digital artists, disability art projects and dedicated lecture rooms. Over 350 resident practitioners, plus thousands of visitors, benefit from the building’s resources, facilities and programme of lifelong learning lectures and activities.
At the start of the current pandemic, I asked for your help to save one of the largest cultural community hubs, and hidden gems, in the heart of Newcastle City Centre. The subsequent support we have been given has helped secure the immediate future of our community. A big thank you to all of you have supported us during this time. As well as over £12,000 in donations so far we are very pleased to have received support from the North of Tyne Combined Authority, Newcastle City Council, Arts Council England, and the TUC. There are still many challenges ahead and we are continuing to accept donations to support all our amazing organisations, artists, charities and community interest companies. Any donations – large or small – are hugely appreciated and I can assure you that these make a real difference and continue to ensure the survival of our community.
Combined, Commercial Union House draws over 150,000 visitors to the City Centre annually.
Without your support, this would be Zero!
Click here to see our Community
Jonpaul Kirvan, co-director Orbis & Ampersand Inventions, April 2020 www.orbis.one
White Box Projects (Trading as Orbis) Registered in England and Wales Co. No: 07764056
Organizer
Jonpaul Kirvan
Organizer