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ABOUT US

 

The Milkmaid Folk Arts Centre CIC has been set up to give Suffolk a centre where people from all backgrounds age and origins, whether disabled or able-bodied, can meet to experience, learn and enjoy the world of music, drama and art through tutorials, workshops, concerts and therapy in an enjoyable social setting.

 

We plan to open week days to offer an exciting and innovative centre for people with disabilities, and to offer evening activities for all people, whether disabled or not.

 

The day centre will provide music therapy with trained therapists, music tuition alongside general art activity and drama with specialist tutors. Experienced, trained staff will support and encourage patrons. There will also be a social area where people can meet at breaks and enjoy a cordial atmosphere.

 

A series of concerts, drama productions and exhibitions will be held through the year highlighting the skills and artistic talent of people with a disability.

Evening musical sessions will be encouraged in the social area with the knowledge that this activity promotes inclusion, confidence and social skills. Some evenings will consist of workshops and tutorials as well as regular concerts promoting world music and dance and which will be offered to all citizens to enjoy. At the moment we already hold two concerts a month and have run a monthly Folk Club for people with disabilities for over a year now.

 

There will be a daily charge for people accessing the day centre and tuition fees for the various workshops and tutorials and most concerts will command a ticket charge. People will be able to pay for sessions using their Individual Budgets and other voluntary groups will be able to buy block bookings for their beneficiaries. With a variety of funding streams we plan to be totally sustainable once start-up costs have been met, with all surplus monies reinvested into the Centre.

 

The Centre will work in partnership with like-minded voluntary, statutory and commercial organisations and will build vibrant working relationships with therapists and performers.

 

People with disabilities deserve to have the opportunity to benefit from, and enjoy music, drama and art in a vibrant and exciting setting. The Milkmaid Folk Arts Club will provide such a place.

 

Our Vision

A place where people of differing abilities can together enjoy music and art

 

 

Our Mission

The Milkmaid; an inspirational place where people with disabilities, and those without, can enjoy and benefit from music and the arts, whilst also producing new material and safeguarding traditional arts.

 

 

Our Goals

To become the county’s leading provider of music, art and drama specifically, but not exclusively for people with a disability

 

To offer the county a viable and sustainable Arts Day Centre that will be professionally managed.

 

To provide a home for folk, street, contemporary and traditional art forms

 

To develop effective partnerships with schools, museums, charities, businesses, therapists, statutory providers, artists and performers

 

To become a best practice role model for other counties to replicate

 

Who we are

The Milkmaid Folk Arts Centre CIC for people with disabilities has grown out of the successful Milkmaid Folk Club, which has been a commercial success for 15 years. Since being incorporated as a CIC in July 2007 has promoted 60 events. These events have been enjoyed by over 3,000 paying customers. There are 20 events arranged for the future months ahead.

 

The genesis of the idea for the Milkmaid Thursday Folk Club for people with disabilities was to help people access a music form that they wouldn’t ordinarily go to unless a parent or carer was interested in this music. It was a matter of giving people choice. Since then we have promoted 18 events since June 2008, which have been enjoyed by 720 people who have disabilities, plus their friends and carers.

 

The Milkmaid management team have a strong mixture of skills, both in the staging and promotion of music and arts event and in the support and training of people with disabilities of various types and severities.

 

Advice has been sought from a variety of organisations, including Business Link, SEEE (Social Enterprise East of England), SENS (Social Enterprise Network), Westax Accountants, Barclays Bank, EADA (East Anglian Development Agency). Partnerships and alliances have been forged with Suffolk County Council, St Edmundsbury Borough Council, Folk Arts England, Healthy Living Alliance, Optua, West Suffolk Headway, West Suffolk Mind and the Bury Volunteer Centre. Further partnerships are being sought with other organisations across Suffolk.

 

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