A Social enterprise has been given £25,000 towards its mission to create an arts and cultural hub in the town.

Incubation Arts, which is managed by Julie Hamer and Jeff Teasedale, is trying to raise funds to buy Charles Roe’s former house on Chestergate and create a permanent Joy Division exhibition.

The house, on the corner of Chestergate and Churchill Way, is currently owned by Martin McMillan OBE and is already used as a temporary exhibition space.

The grant, from Cheshire East Council, will support its application for further funding from The Heritage Lottery, the Arts Council and other funding bodies, so that Incubation Arts can buy the house. It will also fund a ‘conditional survey’ and the engagement of the necessary specialist advice to enable a strong bid.

Jeff Teasdale said: “We have had meetings with architect Dominic Williams who is a specialist in the sensitive conversion of buildings into centres of creative excellence and plans are being prepared for a large gallery space to celebrate the excellence of our local community’s arts and crafts people. In raising the profile of the arts and creativity within the town and beyond, and by encouraging and facilitating community participation from all age-groups, backgrounds and abilities, Incubation Arts aims to make arts and culture accessible, visible and participatory, and to be enjoyed by all.”

Question -1 of 9 Score -0 of 0
The band’s first official name was Warsaw, before they settled on Joy Division in 1978. But what were they called in their first ever gig?
A painting of Ian Curtis by Joe Cheetham which is part of an exhibition at Incubation Arts Exhibition on Joy Division at Charles Roe House in Macclesfield

Incubation Arts works closely with the Cheshire East, and are in talks with the Heritage Lottery Fund to progress the application to the first round.

Plans for the house also include a schedule of seminars, lectures and creative workshops across all elements of the arts and crafts, performances and recording studios and a radio station.

Julie Hamer added: “This is fantastic that Cheshire East Council has generously supported us in this venture, and it will be brilliant for the town, attracting visitors from beyond Macclesfield and increasing footfall into the town and into the many other independent businesses to be found here.

“Already for the current exhibitions alone, we have had visitors from as far afield as Australia, Argentina, Denver, New York, Ireland, Belgium, and Holland, and also many from UK residents who were part of the Manchester Music Scene in the late 70’s and 80’s, some of whom have travelled considerable distances to see this latest ‘heritage’ exhibition which is open until Sunday 28th June.”

A spokesman for Cheshire East Council said: “We are keen to support their plans to create an interactive ‘Joy Division Experience’ at Charles Roe House, which would celebrate Macclesfield’s contribution to contemporary music and create a new visitor attraction to boost the town’s economy.

For information go to incubationarts.org

Current exhibitions at Charles Roe’s House include:

  • ‘Midsummer at Charles Roe House’, which runs until June 28, open daily from 11am until 4pm. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
  • ‘Threads’, a 2D and 3D Arts and Crafts exhibition presented by artsXstra and associated artists celebrates the tricentenary of Charles Roe’s birthday.
  • A Charles Roe Exhibition by historian Dorothy Bentley-Smith, an exhibition of furniture of The Macclesfield School of Carving.
  • Joy Division Exhibitions commemorating 35 years since the passing of Ian Curtis include “I Remember Nothing”, an exhibition of photographs by Martin O Neill. Artists, Joe Cheetham, Nick Oldham, and Liz Hamman are also exhibiting work on a Joy Division theme.