When the people behind Fisher Gate Point first got their hands on the keys to the building in February 2020, they could hardly imagine the disruptions they would face less than a month later.
Fifteen months later, the events and music industries took a hit during the pandemic, but Fisher Gate Point, trying to capture “the sound of Nottingham,” has worked hard to help creatives from across the city gain a foothold.
With a big emphasis on underground music, the urban arts center, located in a former bus depot at Fishergate Point, is still being remodeled inside – another project put on hold with the pandemic – but studios and a performance space have been set up to get things going.
Well-known local artists – including DJ Lukas Wigflex, who has his own studio space, Bru-C and Snowy – have already caused a sensation in the art center, where around three albums were recorded during the lockdown.
Image from the Circle of Light recording sessions at the Fisher Gate Point arts center where a group of young people come together to record an album
(Image: 2020 Charlotte Jopling Photography)
Avarni Bilan, partner and creative consultant behind the project, spoke to Nottinghamshire Live about the goals of the hub.
She said: “As a result of Covid, much of the construction we had planned here has been put on hold, so instead we have a gradual opening to continue using the space.
“We try to bring together a wide range of artists who don’t always play in Notts and who come from a wide variety of backgrounds.
“The building currently has two recording studios and a large performance room, and we also have offices and workshops here. If you are interested, there are still some additional spaces to be occupied.
“We opened it up to our artist network as soon as possible during the pandemic. Bru-C shot a music video here, Emmanuel House shot a campaign video with it, and artists used the Wigflex studio.” .
“There have been three albums there since the lockdown, and this is mainly used by artists with a link to Wigflex. So much has happened even though we haven’t officially opened yet.
Fisher Gate Point Partners: Will Robinson, Tricia Gardiner, Ian Gardiner, Lukas Cole and Avarni Bilan in front of the new venue. Photo credit Charlotte Jopling
“There are places in the city where great commercial artists can perform, but there is nothing like it in the city. It’s one of a kind.
“There doesn’t seem to be any other place in town to maintain the underground scene, and me and Lukas have been trying to do that for years.”
Avarni and her partner Lukas form half of the team behind Wigflex, who have been running Wigflex in Nottingham for 15 years, which had its first festival in 2019.
Avarni, a graduate of Nottingham Trent University, added that she was always interested in staying in Nottingham and engaging with the music scene here.
She added, “We got more into electronic music, hip-hop and the growing grime scene in Nottingham. It’s a very distinctive sound in the city and artists like Snowy who advocate a whole new sound.
“We have a great opportunity to capture a distinctive sound from Nottingham, which is also an important goal of the Wigflex Festival.
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“It’s not just about giving artists a space to use the equipment in, we support them with so much more, from their social media presence to financial advice and other things, as they are essentially their own Lead business.
“That’s why I founded Fly Girl last year – an organization that connects women in a network.”
The art center’s first public events were a series of ticketed events called Summer Sessions. The first takes place on July 24th and features performances by artists such as Lukas Wigflex, Craig Richards, SNO and Young Marco.
That’s ahead of the Wigflex City Festival on October 9th, where a venue has yet to be confirmed, but organizers are confident it will take place this year.
Sherwood-based photographer Charlotte Jopling is one creative who has become involved and supported at Fisher Gate.
(Photo: Charlotte Jopling)
The 31-year-old, who runs the Studio Anicca photography business, said, “I work with many arts organizations and shoot for Fisher Gate Point and Wigflex. I took a picture of one of their last parties in February 2020 before the lockdown.
“I also documented Fisher Gate Point as the building changed over time.
“It’s such an incredible support network from people with so much experience. Music is of course the focus, but I was able to find work there and get help with access to art scholarships.
“There’s a deep passion for the creative arts there. I’ve seen people thrive and become more confident just because they’re there.”
To contact us about using a space at Fisher Gate Point, visit Instagram (@fishergatepoint) or the website fishergatepoint.com.