Street art and dance music in the mix for community meals fundraising collaboration.
A powerful street art mural, a party with a world-famous secret DJ guest, digital projections, filmmaking and an iconic social club are all part of a unique fundraising collaboration in North Shields.
The fundraiser is a joint project between mural artist Prefab 77 aka Pete Manning, international DJ and producer Geoff Kirkwood aka Man Power, community activist Stu Fearn, digital artist Jay Halim and filmmaker Ryan Lilburn. They are using the rising tide of North Shields’ creative economy to help raise money for YMCA North Tyneside’s Community Meals campaign.
Held on Wednesdays in Cafe 1879 in YMCA North Tyneside, the free, hot community meals are available to everyone regardless of their circumstances with children’s activities included.
King Street Social Club is the focal point for the project. The site is now also the home of Are You Affiliated, a full-time alternative music venue operated by Geoff Kirkwood, with a program featuring some of the world’s most exciting live bands and DJs.
On 27 September, a special secret guest who is a global name in electronic dance music will play Are You Affiliated, with money raised going to YMCA’s community meals. Advance tickets for the event have sold out despite the headline act remaining a secret. A very limited number of tickets will be available on the door.
On the exterior wall of King Street social club, Pete Manning has created large-scale mural Angels Live In Our Town, part of a series of Prefab 77 artworks around North Shields as part of Elevation, an ambitious street art festival taking place in 2025. The artwork is a tribute to the hardworking women of the town’s fishing industry.
As well as two established regional artists, the fundraising project also involves new creative talent from North Shields, with the artist Jay Halim providing live digital projections for the event on 27 September, and film maker Ryan Lilburn producing a documentary video.
YMCA North Tyneside Chief Executive Dean Titterton said: “This fundraising collaboration and the King Street Social Club event will raise vital funds for our Community Meals. We are so thankful to the artists and community for supporting this fantastic initiative.
“YMCA North Tyneside has been at the heart of the North Shields and North Tyneside community for over 145 years and we aim to create environments where people can be healthy, happy and connected.
“Our offer of regular community meals on a Wednesday provides a comfy, warm, fully inclusive, safe non-judgemental space for everyone to access a hot meal, all while tackling social isolation, and ensuring our locals feel like they belong to their community.”
Geoff Kirkwood said: “This all literally came from a quick chat in a coffee shop. The fact that idle conversations can lead so quickly to such joined up projects tells you everything you need to know about how energised and equipped North Shields is right now. This took about two weeks to get off the ground. It bodes so well for Pete and Stu’s Elevation Festival next year.
“I think it’s important to document this time though. Pete and I are two artists from the region who came up in a less creatively fertile time and I think we both feel blessed that there’s so much talent we can work with now.
“The documentary video will feature interviews with stakeholders, community members from the Social Club, people who attend the party, and those involved with the community meal, to provide an honest and authentic picture of the full range of experience and opinion in North Shields.
“Pete, Stu and myself all want to use our work to benefit the community in this town. When we got talking, it came to light that me and Pete both have a strong connection with King Street Social Club, where I’ve been hosting music events for the past two years. Not only did Pete work there as teenager, it was the spot where my great-grandfather owned a general dealer’s shop until conditions in the region forced it to go bust and sent him back to work in the shipyards in his 60s.
“Between us we’ve come up with a plan that combines street art, dance music, the local community and international talent to create a world-class artwork and a world-class experience that will raise money for an essential community intervention.”
Mural artist Pete Manning aka Prefab 77 said: “North Shields holds a special place for me and I’ve always felt that the town and people punched well above their weight. My father and mother both grew up in North Shields and it has always chafed me to see the town visibly in decline.
“Now times are changing and you can feel that North Shields is attracting young entrepreneurs, talented people with a drive to make the town amazing again.
“Next year is the 800th anniversary of the founding of North Shields and Elevation is making it a landmark destination for artists around the region and world, with the mural project bringing street art to this cult town.”
Community activist Stu Fearn said: “I’m part of mural festival Elevation, working with several artists including Pete at Prefab 77. His first mural, The Siren, has created a huge community response. It was funded by residents, and we have sold prints to fund more work. I brought Pete and Geoff together because we all want more for North Shields, and this project was born. What better than raising funds through this highly collaborative project to support YMCA Community Meals.”
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