MARC is moving: Back to the Roots!
MARC's Story:
MARC the printers has been a Manchester staple for eco-friendly printing for over 40 years. Much has changed over the years! Looking back we are proud and happy having been able to facilitate many of Manchester's local grass-roots, charity and creative organisations printing, meeting rooms and training needs.
In 1975 we started off supported by the Young Volunteer Force Foundation, running MARC with the help of four workers and many volunteers. Back in the day we operated with electric stencil makers, duplicators and typewriters. Most of our services were free to charitable organisations, we were able to run workshops and training sessions helping build people's skills and confidence.
How things have changed...
Over the years it became harder to secure funding, we had to move to smaller premises and eventually were not able to facilitate workshops and skill-sharing as we used to. On the bright side, becoming a more commercial printers, we were able to engage more with small local businesses, the creative sector and invested in more modern machinery - still keeping the green community spirit alive in the work we provide. We've been doing well and always supported our friends as much as we could, may it be with free or discounted printing offers or donations to projects we adore.
Why we need your help:
Today, unfortunately, we're on a bit of a rough patch. Due to a chain of unfortunate events MARC has been battered financially. Gentrification and soaring rent prices in the Northern Quarter have effected us badly over the last two years. After a long period of our shop front and entrance being disturbed by scaffolding, rain water leaking through our ceiling and other annoying interpersonal events, our lease of the Edge Street shop has now been terminated. We had to decide: Do we want to call it a day? Or do we want to keep MARC alive?
Who will benefit?
We want to re-invent MARC and keep fighting for greener, more ethical, community faced printing services in the Manchester area. We want to go back to our roots: being able to facilitate workshops again to help grass-roots and social justice groups. We want to be there for up-and-coming artists make them understand print-processes better and enable local businesses to produce their printed goods fast and locally.
Why we can't do it without your help!
We believe the move to our new location near Islington Mill in Salford is a positive one. Nontheless, we expect our income to drop by at least 40% for some months. We will get less footfall as we won't be located on a busy city centre street, some of our customers might want to opt for another printers, and it might take some time to build new relationships with our new neighbours in Salford.
Your donations will help us directly to survive the first year in our new home, it will provide us with a safety cushion, balance the wages of our staff members, enable us to buy storage units for paper, install a landline for internet and phone access. With your help we can set-up the new MARC headquarters with better access for workshops you and the community will be able to profit from. We chose this funding platform as the donations will directly float into MARCs accounts, we will be able to make immediate use of them in order to operate the shop, buy paper, and keep up with utility bills.
Your support means the world to us
We want to keep MARC going. It's not just another print shop, and we believe, once you've worked with us you will understand. MARC stands for community support, making friends (rather than just customers), accessibility and creativity.
We all know, times are tough for non-profit, independent projects. We don't want to give in to the one's trying to push us down, we want to be there for Manchester, keeping the independent DIY spirit alive. We've been overwhelmed by your heart-felt words of support and your passion for MARC, it's wonderful to see how our community is holding together and how everyone's pulling on one string. Every pound counts!
Thank you for having stood with us in the past and thank you for supporting us in this new adventure.
We are very excited and looking towards the new MARC with much anticipation and lots of creative energy. Please share our pledge and spread the word, you are the ones who can help push MARC forward.
