Eloquent Dance company, who support hundreds of young people from across the city, have been awarded a transformational grant from the Youth Investment Fund, which will see their Arts Centre in the heart of Aston, fully renovated. Building works, due to commence in April, will transform the former industrial unit into a multi-purpose centre for Dance, Education and youth outreach.
“To be selected in the first round of funding from the national programme of the Youth Investment Fund is incredible, for an organisation like ours. We’ve been working with young people in Birmingham for ten years and this is testament to the dedication and impact we’ve had and truly sets us up for the next decade and beyond.” Explains Co-Founder and Managing Director Janice Davis
“The government’s aim to support 19,806 young people with the Youth Investment Fund could not have come at a better time – not only for our organisation but for many others who work with young people across the region.” Janice said.
The Youth Investment Fund is a national programme of more than £300 million, supporting more than 46 youth services in targeted locations across England, driven by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and led by the charity Social Investment Business, who are delivering the grant programme in partnership with Key Fund, National Youth Agency and Resonance.
“With this funding, we will be able to grow and develop our services and reach even more young people, particularly those from challenging backgrounds in underserved areas of the city. Adding a learning suite to our building means that we will be able to launch our BTEC in Dance and Performing Arts, under the new Eloquent College banner. There will also be a new café and refreshed Performance studio space too.” Enthuses Romanah Buchanan, CEO of Eloquent Dance Company.
“With contractors due to start the work in April, we will continue to deliver our work in temporary spaces, until the Eloquent Arts Centre re-opens in October 2024.” Romanah concludes.
Eloquent Dance company is a proudly Black ran business, driven by Mother and Daughter duo – Romanah and Janice, who have been at the helm for the last decade. But Eloquent is about much more than just teaching young people to dance, they provide a safe space for their members, in a warm and family-like environment.
At the turn of a new decade, the Company are excited to be building bigger plans, to increase accessibility and reach more people from local communities. Increasing the collaboration with other artists and professional performers with the rejuvenated Eloquent Arts Centre as a cultivating space that empowers them to develop new ideas and facilitate the aspirations of talented performers from Birmingham and beyond.
Eloquent Dance are invested in developing the next generation of performers and as part of that commitment, they’ve developed a Youth Board to help shape and steer the organisation’s direction. Makeia Martin Moore, is a member of Youth Board and Assistant Dance Teacher for the Youth Academy at Eloquent:
“The renovation of our building means more space to do bigger and better things. The impact this will have on us as young performers is huge and we’re all so excited! This is really going to open a lot of doors for a lot more people!”