YMCA

Success at Y Heritage Project Shortlisting

Posted on 27 August 2020 by Carly Baraclough

After a busy few months of activities from home, Y Heritage is back in full swing with our young people taking part in arts and heritage based projects.

This week, five young people from The Y Heritage Project took part in round 5 of project shortlisting.

This shortlisting involved our young people selecting projects that would be awarded Y Heritage funding for future projects and activities.

Our young people were lucky enough to have Noel from Shire Grants (Leicestershire County Council) to facilitate this session. He shared his expert knowledge on the decision-making process and gave valuable tips on what to look for when selecting funding applications.

As a result of the engaging session, four projects have been shortlisted and will be invited to pitch to the young people panel in September.

We are extremely grateful for the support of Noel for delivering the session, the young people thoroughly enjoyed it and gained valuable experience from the day.

Heritage Open Days at The Y Theatre

Posted on 24 August 2020 by Carly Baraclough

Welcome to England’s largest festival of history and culture!

Every September some 46,000 volunteers across England organise 5,500 events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are FREE to explore

Y Heritage based at The Y in Leicester is excited to invite you to our Heritage Open Day event taking place September 14, 15, 16^th

This one-off event is being planned and run entirely by young people who engage with the Y working with our friends at the Documentary Media Centre. Find out about 175 years of the YMCA movement, how the Y Theatre started, the work we do today and plans for the theatre as we move into a new era. Young people who engage with the Charity will be your tour-guides, the tours and talks will be immersive and interactive, bringing the history of the YMCA and the theatre to life.

You might like to attend this event in your lunch-break or after work or even use it as a mid-morning team activity, whenever you visit we will welcome you to the Y. Our event is funded through the National Heritage Lottery Funds Kick the Dust project.

Each Tour & Talk lasts around 45 minutes and can accommodate only six people.

Spaces are extremely limited, we are hosting just 9 sessions over the three days and the event has gone live on the Heritage Open Day website so please respond ASAP if you would like to attend one of the sessions.

Booking is via email only at [email protected]

Event Times

Monday 14 September: 11:00-12:00 & 14:00-15:00 & 17:00-18:00

Tuesday 15 September: 11:00-12:00 & 14:00-15:00 & 17:00-18:00

Wednesday 16 September: 11:00-12:00 & 14:00-15:00 & 17:00-18:00

For directions, access and further information please go to:

www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/tour-and-talk-at-the-y-leicesters-oldest-theatre

COVID 19 safety measures: This event will run in line with local & national government guidelines at the time of the Heritage Open Day festival. We will ensure if there are any changes to the guidance or the event has to be postponed you will be informed. We are offering tours and talks to small groups only (6 people maximum) and social distancing will be observed. Hand sanitizer is available in public spaces and toilets and the Y has increased the cleaning regime in recent months.

Grace Petrie & The Resistance Band – Fundraiser Live Stream

Posted on 18 August 2020 by Carly Baraclough

Local songwriter and performer, Grace Petrie is widely known across the alternative, folk, political and comedy scenes for her warm and witty take on politics, love and life.

On Saturday 5th September 2020, along with The Resistance Band, she is putting on a live-streamed show to raise funds to help keep The Y Theatre open.

Covid-19 has had an astounding impact on theatres and the arts as a wider industry, with some devastating consequences for venues, performers and wider staff. Support is needed to keep theatres going and to get them back up and running.

With this in mind, we are super excited to have Grace Petrie perform live virtually for us and for all proceeds raised for the live stream to be donated to The Y Theatre.

To join in on the fun from the comfort of home, you can purchase tickets from, https://www.gigantic.com/grace-petrie-tickets/worldwide-live-stream/2020-09-05-20-00

Standard tickets cost £11 with options to donate further if you wish.

To find out more about Grace Petrie you can visit, https://gracepetrie.com/.

Shout Out Project

Posted on 10 August 2020 by Carly Baraclough

A little over a year ago, Jane Earp and Kevin Blair began working with young people from The Y and Park Lodge on a project called “Shout Out”. The aim has been to engage one of the most marginalised groups, young homeless people, with the arts. Both artists themselves, Jane and Kevin have worked with homeless centres in Leicester for over 4 years. This project has had over 50 residents of The Y and Park Lodge take part.

The original intention to celebrate the end of the project would have been an exhibition at Soft Touch Arts. Unfortunately, a global pandemic had other plans, BUT we are delighted to share the following with you. Jane and Kevin have put together an online gallery to showcase the amazing work that has come from the last 12 months.

There is a video introducing the project and the artists which epitomises what “Shout Out” has achieved. See first hand what the workshops looked like and how much the young people embraced expressing themselves. You’ll also hear first hand from the young people about their participation and what the project has meant to them. It’s a must watch.

View the online gallery here.

Congratulations to Jane and Kevin and thanks to Arts Council, Leicester City Castle Ward and Leicester’s Everybody’s Reading Festival for funding the project.