Category: Blog

A big birthday bonanza will be hitting the right notes with fun for all communities when Coventry’s Creative Quarter celebrates its special anniversary next month.

FarGo Village is finalising its Big Birthday Weekender programme in the countdown to its tenth birthday celebrations which will take place from Friday, September 27 to Sunday, September 29.

Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants scheme has given FarGo Village in Far Gosford Street funding for the community programme while Towergate Insurance and Zenith Contract Services Ltd, which provide its insurance and cleaning services, have provided sponsorship.

There will be a mix of performances from musicians as well as family shows and activities at FarGo Village which is renowned for its creative, independent businesses.

The weekend will get underway with a House & House tech event on Friday, September 27 – the date that FarGo Village officially opened in 2014 – at 10pm, with tickets costing £3.

On Saturday 28th, there will be music from Batsch, Project Overload, Duck Thieves, Special Brew, The Bellows,  Bobbie Dazzle and The Primitives who will be heard from 2pm in The Box, a 500-capacity music, conference and events venue.

There will also be performances from Highly Sprung, a Do Touch Sensory installation and multi-skilled performer Stilt Man, who will be mingling with visitors throughout the site.

Among the highlights of the Big Birthday Weekender will be a Q&A conversation at the Just Dropped In record store led by Graham Duff when he will be joined by musical legends The Dirt Road Bands’ Horace Panter from The Specials, Steve Walwyn (best known for playing with Dr Feelgood) and Ted Duggan, drummer for Badinger and Banco De Gaia.

The trio will discuss some of the high, low and hilarious points of their decades in the music business at 6pm on September 29 at Just Dropped In at The Box, which will be followed by Coventry Poet Laureate, John Bernard, and The Dirt Road Band will then be taking to the stage in The Box to perform.

Earlier on September 29, there will be music performed by Amit Dattani, Willow Taiwo, Clemency, and The Swaps along with performances from The Last Baguette theatre company, a Do Touch Sensory installation and drumming workshops with Bakayoko music and lots of art and crafts with Artventurer.

There will also be a wide range of food and drink available throughout the site including Esmie’s, Box N Bar, and Morgan’s ice cream.

Holly Hewitt, Manager at FarGo Village, which was created by regeneration specialists Complex Development Projects (CDP), said the Big Birthday Weekender was a perfect opportunity to showcase the best of local music and creativity with a combination of family-friendly events.

“Our birthday celebrations will be a great chance to listen to live music, featuring classic tunes across a variety of genres, along with watching entertaining performances and installations,” she said.

“FarGo Village has always prided itself on its inclusive, creative, independent nature and the programme of events reflects this.

“We are now counting down to a special time in our history and the events are all free or at a low cost so that all members of our community can come along and join in the fun.”

Visitors are asked to make donations to FarGo Village’s charity partner Coventry and Warwickshire Mind for the free music events, and tickets to attend the evening events can be booked at https://www.fargovillage.co.uk/whats-on

Coventry’s vibrant Creative Quarter is planning a Big Birthday Weekender to mark its tenth anniversary after receiving funding through Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants.

Arts Council England has awarded FarGo Village funding for an exciting programme of creative activities, which will culminate in two days of community celebrations on Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29.

FarGo Village in Far Gosford Street has been the home for a diverse mix of creative independent businesses since it first opened ten years ago and it has grown over the years to include The Box, a 500-capacity music, conference and events venue.

The funding from Arts Council England will cover a curated programme of arts, music and performances including family fun, sensory play for children, street artists, food and music to appeal to residents throughout the city and beyond.

On September 28, there will be a full programme of live music from local and up-and-coming artists featuring classic tunes followed by a more relaxed feel with jazz and folk musicians the following day. There will also be gigs in The Box during the evenings on September 27 and 29.

Now that the funding has been secured, the schedule and programme will be finalised and launched later this summer.

The whole weekend is free so that everyone can attend, but there will be a small charge for the September 27 and 29 gigs when all proceeds will be donated to FarGo Village’s charity partner Coventry and Warwickshire Mind.

In addition, there will be a programme of art workshops through the summer holidays for children and young people to make decorations that will be displayed throughout the weekend.

Holly Hewitt, Manager at FarGo Village which was created by regeneration specialists Complex Development Projects (CDP), said the Big Birthday Weekender promised to be a memorable occasion.

She said: “We are delighted to receive this funding from Arts Council England which will allow our team to curate a community festival that represents the inclusiveness of our city and attract diverse audiences.

“It will be a perfect way to celebrate 10 years of FarGo Village and the events will underline everything that we represent including independence and creativity.

“The activities will give people of all ages the opportunity to attend the Big Birthday Weekender and have a go at a new activity for free or at a low cost.

“I’m sure it will be a weekend to remember and we are looking forward to sharing more details when the programme is finalised. We are expecting a few special guests to join us so please keep checking our social media platforms!”

Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director at Arts Council England, said: “We’re delighted to award Coventry’s FarGo Village funding through Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants, to help them mark their 10^th birthday with a vibrant programme of creative activities for all to enjoy.

“From pop-up spaces for local artists, to live music, street theatre and creative workshops for young people, there’ll be lots of opportunities for people from all backgrounds to come together, have fun and celebrate this important cultural landmark for the city.”

About Arts Council England

Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Let’s Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where every one of us has access to a remarkable range of high-quality cultural experiences. From 2023 to 2026 we will invest over £467 million of public money from Government and an estimated £250 million from The National Lottery each year to help support the sector and to deliver this vision.

(www.artscouncil.org.uk)

A new exciting shopping venture will be launched at Coventry’s innovative Creative Quarter to attract even more independent businesses as part of its tenth-anniversary celebrations.

FarGo Village in Far Gosford Street has built up a reputation for attracting a host of original and talented creatives over the last decade.

In the countdown to its big birthday this September, FarGo Village has announced its latest venture – Indie Mart – will be unveiled in The Market Hall in the same month.

The emporium style shopping will involve up to 60 small independent makers, curators, vintage and thrift traders who will be selling from space on the shop floor while not having to be physically present. The store will be managed by experienced and passionate retail staff.

Coventry City Council’s SME grant fund is match-funding some of the costs to help Indie Mart get up and running.

Holly Hewitt, Manager at FarGo Village which was developed by regeneration specialists Complex Development Projects, said there is already a great deal of interest in their new venture.

“There is nothing else like Indie Mart in Coventry at present and it will offer residents and those who love to shop in independent stores a place to come, grab a coffee, enjoy lunch, and engage with all the independent businesses and creative activity taking place at FarGo Village.

“We will still have seasonal markets here throughout the year located in The Box and outdoors, but the focus for those will be more around food and themes.

“Many makers markets are springing up in the city, so it’s no longer something unique to us. Indie Mart will allow traders to sell their goods in two places at once!

“Everyone who hears about our new venture says what a good idea it is and we’re really looking forward to launching it as part of our birthday celebrations in September.”

The opening hours of Indie Mart will initially mirror the current retail hours at FarGo Village from 11am to 5pm from Wednesday to Saturday and between 11am and 4pm on Sundays, but it is hoped to develop this into opening seven days in the future.

Traders making and selling suitable items, creative and crafted goods, gifts, vintage or handmade clothing and furniture can request a trader pack and application form to join Indie Mart from indiemart@fargovillage.co.uk

or download here  IndieMart Trader Pack Info.docx – Google Docs

Special birthday events to mark a decade of Coventry’s inspirational Creative Quarter will kick off with creative, tail-wagging and hair-raising fun.

FarGo Village will be celebrating its tenth birthday this September and has arranged a series of events to mark the occasion.

Out of The Box Arts Fair X PopBangColour Car Fest will get the festivities underway throughout FarGo Village in Far Gosford Street between 11am and 5pm on Saturday, June 1, and from 11am until 4pm on Sunday, June 2.

There will be a diverse range of visual and sensory local artists alongside unique cars on display in collaboration with PopBangColour and Rustival as part of MotoFest 2024 which is also marking its tenth anniversary.

This will be followed the next weekend by FarGo’s Dog Festival in collaboration with Broken Souls Rescue Charity from 10.30am until 5pm on Saturday, June 8.

The Coventry-based charity will be hosting a fundraising stall where all proceeds will go towards essential veterinary, boarding and care costs for dogs in need.

There will be an opportunity for visitors to treat their four-legged friends to puppacinos, take part in paw art activities and a have-a-go agility arena as well as cool off in a refreshing paddling pool made just for dogs.

The packed summer calendar continues with the Summer Makers Market in the Market Hall from 11am until 5pm on Saturday, July 20 and between 11am until 4pm on Sunday, July 21.

This is an opportunity to indulge in a summer showcase featuring the finest local and regional makers, artists, and designers, offering a weekend brimming with independent shopping delights.

The month is rounded off with the Oxford Beard Festival throughout FarGo Village which is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate all aspects of facial hair!  The event between noon and 6pm on Saturday, July 27, will involve categories for handmade beards and imaginative bearded characters, and it is all in support of FarGo Village’s birthday charity partner Coventry and Warwickshire Mind and Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice in Coventry.

Holly Hewitt, Manager at FarGo Village which was developed by regeneration experts Complex Development Projects, said this was a special time in its history.

“FarGo Village is renowned for its eclectic mix of traders and this is reflected in our events programme,” she said.

“We always want to appeal to all members of the community and the early events in the countdown to our birthday in September reflect this with the arts fair, activities for our furry friends, creative designs and a day for lovers of beards and moustaches!

“Best of all these are all free and many of the events are supporting worthwhile charities based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

“This is just the start of our birthday celebrations and there will be more announcements soon including details of our big birthday weekend in September!”

Tania Miller, Head of Children and Young People’s Services for Coventry and Warwickshire Mind, said: “Coventry and Warwickshire Mind’s children and young people’s team have been based at The Junction on Far Gosford Street for over ten years. In all that time we have seen first-hand the fantastic transformation of the local neighbourhood – flourishing as a lively, multi-cultural part of the city.

“Adjacent to so much student accommodation, our commitment to supporting young people’s mental health is as strong as ever. We’re really looking forward to seeing the local FarGo community over this celebration summer.”

Coventry’s only music shop and a miniature garden centre are blooming into life at FarGo Village at the city’s creative quarter where three other businesses are expanding at the popular location.AM Music has been launched to sell instruments and music equipment and provide lessons in a sound-proofed studio where they offer tuition on drums, piano, saxophone and guitar.

Black Flag Horticulture specialises in selling garden and horticultural products including plants whether customers have a window box or a garden.

Art Riot Collective is currently supporting three artists to have their own artist studio space and gallery space. This is situated in the market hall area of FarGo Village.
Sustainable fashion skate shop Project Number 5 has moved to Container 12 and will be introducing a skateboard ramp to create a skating destination while BiB Noodle Bar has expanded into Unit 13D as part of its growth plans.

All these exciting additions have been followed by Kirsty Viney joining the FarGo Village team as an Events Manager to bring new events to The Box.

Former secondary school music teacher Aaron Moloney has set-up AM Music school and instrument shop after organising the Jazz Jam sessions and music events at FarGo Village.

He said: “I love the Jazz Jam events and I thought FarGo Village would be the perfect fit for what I wanted to do. There isn’t a music shop in Coventry city centre any more apart from a guitar shop and certainly no-where you can buy drums and I wanted to teach in an enjoyable environment.

“Our lessons are open for anyone – our youngest student is seven and our oldest is 65 – and the business is going really well. I couldn’t have asked for a better first month. At our opening, we had a big jam session party with bands and local musicians and played music for the night.”

James King, of Black Flag Horticulture, said there was a real focus from him and store manager Mark Wilson on encouraging those with limited outdoor space to grow their own plants.

“I love the atmosphere at FarGo Village since it has friendly, creative and quirky businesses and we’re trying to encourage a more creative attitude to gardening and considering different species of plants to grow,” he said.

“I think gardening should be accessible to more people because even if you have a small space such as a window ledge in a flat, you can get involved, and it is extremely satisfying to watch the fruits of your labour grow.”

Kyla Craig, Creative Director at Art Riot Collective, said: “Art Riot Collective recently received funding from Art Council England. This will support the creative development of the artists who make up the collective as well as employing a number of freelance artists to help deepen practice and widen experience. This funding will also help us to include a number of family sensory art sessions.”

Henry Matthews from Project Number 5 has been based at FarGo Village for two-and-a-half years and is looking forward to taking his business to the next level.

“I’m hoping this move will increase footfall and it is going to be great to have outdoor space to add a skating ramp to bring more skaters here and help the community by providing lessons,” he said.

Qifen Bi, of BiB Noodle Bar, is moving to unit 13D to increase seating, for its increasing customer base who are tempted by their hand pulled noodles and dumplings.

She said: “We wanted space for growth, as this will give us more indoor seating and to allow more experimental menu items, along with our tasting menu.

“We have built BiB around our customers, who in turn, have become friends. FarGo has been a great help in getting the business off the ground which has been extremely enjoyable but hard work.”

Holly Hewitt, FarGo Village Manager, added: “We have always been focused on attracting independent, exciting businesses and it is fantastic that we have two new businesses move in as well as three more expanding here which underlines the dynamic destination that we have created.”

Photo Caption: From the left, Aaron Moloney (AM Music), Kirsty Viney (Events Manager, The Box), Steve Randle (Black Flag Horticulture) and Qifen Bi (BIB Noodle Bar) at FarGo Village

Visitors to a community of independent Coventry businesses are on the rise and have surpassed pre-global pandemic levels.

FarGo Village is located a short walk from Coventry city centre and boasts a variety of different businesses including a Caribbean food restaurant, CrossFit gym, vinyl record shop and a sustainable fashion skate shop.

The venue also hosts events throughout the year including summer makers markets, vegan festivals and retro revivals.

One of the most popular attractions is the Coventry Dining Club takeover events, run by the successful Digbeth Dining Club that specialises in street food. Across the last two takeover events combined, nearly 13,000 people visited FarGo Village which is a steep rise on the 2,500-3,000 people that arrive on a normal Saturday’s trading.

Other events such as the Record Store Day, held in April, saw more than 5,000 people attend while just over 7,000 visitors and their canine companions attended its Dog Festival this month.

In previous years before the global pandemic, FarGo Village would expect to attract around 150,000 people from the start of the year through to the end of May. Across the first five months of 2023, more than 250,000 have made a visit.

Holly Hewitt, FarGo Village General and Venue Manager, said: “Our 2023 footfall is higher than in 2021 and 2022 so it seems that the general public’s confidence is coming back after the pandemic.

“As we don’t charge any entrance fees, most of our activities are low cost, and we also are a place where people can just hang out, so visitors can choose how much they spend, which helps negate the cost-of-living crisis.

“Our footfall figures are higher than pre-pandemic, presumably due to awareness of FarGo Village and a wider variety of events and activities.”

FarGo Village, which opened in 2014 at a cost of £5 million, has established favourites such as Dashing Blades barbershop, Gourmet Food Kitchen restaurant and Twisted Barrell brewery and regularly welcomes new arrivals. Most recently, Twentytwo Productions became Coventry’s first podcast studio and 3D Printing Forge is also opening this Spring.

The on-site businesses remain open when events take place and there’s plenty of them coming up this summer.

FarGo Live Latin is bringing Latin sound and dance on June 2 before a Vegan Festival takes over on June 10 and 11, featuring food, clothing and lifestyle demonstrations.

More than 30 stalls of local artisan crafters and makers will feature in the Makers Markets on June 24 and 25 and on July 29 there’s a Beards and Beers event.

The next Coventry Dining Club takeovers are on June 17, July 8 and August 12. For more information about upcoming events, visit www.fargovillage.co.uk

Coventry’s first podcast studio has been launched as FarGo Village welcomes two new businesses on site as well as the expansion of an existing favourite.

The city’s creative quarter just outside the city centre has a strong reputation for providing opportunities for small businesses to grow and this spring, it has celebrated three significant milestones.
Two new names are present on site with Twentytwo Productions podcast studio and 3D Printing Forge being welcomed to FarGo Village – while Just Dropped In has significantly increased the size of its record shop.
Twentytwo Productions is a new venture from Twentytwo Digital, a full-service creative design and digital agency that is based in the Coventry Canal Warehouse.

The new venue will become Coventry’s first purpose-built podcast that will be accessible for those just looking to record all the way through to a fully-managed podcast production.
Twentytwo Productions’ Podcasting Lead is Coventry resident Taylor Pattinson, creator and host of the Waffle Shop podcast which has achieved in excess of 500,000 downloads.
“It is going to be one of the most creative spaces in Coventry,” Taylor said. “I’ve only ever recorded from my bedroom because when I’ve looked at going elsewhere for a studio, you’ve either got Leamington or Birmingham “This is a purpose-built podcast studio, Coventry’s first, and it’s really exciting to have that title.”

Twentytwo Digital’s head of marketing Emily Williams explained why they chose FarGo Village to launch the Twentytwo Productions podcast studio which will be officially launched with a special event on May 12.

Emily said: “FarGo has always been a space within Coventry that has always interested us. We’re a bunch of creatives, FarGo is a very creative space. We wanted the studio to be within a space where there’s other creative things going on so our clients can benefit from the other businesses at FarGo and vice versa.”

Just Dropped In started life as an independent record shop selling new and used vinyl out of a shipping container at FarGo Village in October 2018.
As its reputation for selling Indie, Psych, Rock, Dub and Electronic music grew, so did its premises and nine months later, business owner Alun Roberts upgraded to a bigger unit increasing the range and depth of Vinyl sold.
Now, Just Dropped In has taken its biggest step to the vacated space next door to double the record shop’s square footage.
The increased space will also allow Just Dropped In to build upon its already strong reputation as a live music venue that supports new music and artists as well as an even wider choice of new and second hand vinyl and cassettes.

Alun added: “A bigger unit means we can host more people for gigs, whether we keep stock out or strip it back and fill it up with people, it just increases the potential for what we can do and the kind of thing we can host.
“Coventry is a music city, there’s no doubt about it and the way people have supported the shop, especially since the pandemic, has really blown me away. “We’ve actually come out of Covid stronger as a business and there’s a real sense of community about what we do and that is really important to me.”

3D Printing Forge is a new business launched by Estonian Argo Hobenael, who first moved to England in 2006 before settling in Coventry two years ago. What started as a hobby designing and printing 3D objects alongside his full-time job has grown into a passion-project business, with the aim of creating an on-demand service to make 3D printing more accessible.
Argo said: “We create completely customised items. For me it is a hobby but not everyone wants to go through the hassle of getting their printer, there’s a lot that goes into it.  “People can send me CAD files of models, parts, decorative or functional parts, I’ll print it and post it back to them. “I want to make the process more accessible. If someone wants a part, I can make that happen. I also offer a design service, if someone has an idea but doesn’t necessarily have the CAD skills or design experience, I can help with that and make it happen.”
While 3D Printing Forge’s FarGo site isn’t a walk-in shop, with orders and enquiries coming through its website, Argo hopes one day to open the doors to customers if he goes full-time with the business.

He said: “It’s a cool community at FarGo Village. It’s a very nice mixture of very different businesses. It’s a perfect place to start a new business. They’ve got a small office available which is exactly what you need at the beginning.”
Holly Hewitt, FarGo Village General and Venue Manager, said: “We are excited to welcome new creative projects to our community here at FarGo Village. There are already connections being made.
“It’s incredibly encouraging that some of our existing businesses are expanding into larger spaces on site and shows that hard-working creative, independent businesses are valued, used and have the support locally to grow.”

Photo caption (6): Argo Hobenael (3D Printing Forge), Taylor Pattinson (Twentytwo Digital) and Alun Roberts (Just Dropped In) at FarGo Village.
Photo caption (11): Argo Hobenael at 3D Printing Forge’s new location in FarGo Village.
Photo caption (16): Taylor Pattinson inside Twentytwo Productions’ new podcast studio in FarGo Village.
Photo caption (18): Alun Roberts inside the new bigger Just Dropped In shop in FarGo Village.

We were delighted to welcome a group of Travel Trade professionals from Canada earlier this month who were undertaking a whistle-stop tour of the West Midlands.   The group was hosted by the Destination Management organisation Visit Coventry.

The group spent an enjoyable afternoon trying out the beers at Twisted Barrel and checking out street art and shops in the Market Hall.

A full review of their trip can be found here: Spirit of the West Midlands – Travel CourierTravel Courier