Dance City in Newcastle secures major investment from two regional funds

Newcastle cultural hub Dance City has secured a six-figure loan from an investment fund to help it to continue supporting the North East dance scene. Dance City, based in Newcastle city centre, has received a 10-year loan of £250,000 from the North East Social Investment Fund.

The fund is run by Northstar Ventures alongside a grant of £37,500 from the Community Foundation for Tyne and Wear and Northumberland. The dance centre is based off Waterloo Square in Newcastle, and works with around 8,000 aspiring and professional dancers a year, helping them to learn, train and hone their dance style.

People have been able to take part in classes and also watch performances for almost 40 years at the centre, which celebrates British dance as well as international dance of all types and cultures. It offers weekly classes in different styles of dance including contemporary, hip hop, ballet and ballroom, belly dancing and pilates, alongside classes for adults with learning disabilities, Parkinson’s and dementia, giving them an accessible way to stay fit and healthy, learn new skills, have fun and meet new people.

The company also runs its own training academy, offering training to young people, starting at the age of 10 through to postgraduate level, in dance and choreography, to give them the skills they need to operate in the professional arena. Over the years, it has also hosted premieres of original works at its own in-house theatre.

Anand Bhatt, artistic director at Dance City, said: “We are delighted to receive this investment from Northstar Ventures. This investment is a testament to the trust in our business plan, and unlocks resources to enable the organisation to develop. The culture sector has needed to adapt significantly in the post-pandemic era, and investment such as this enables Dance City to embrace the opportunities ahead.”

Ian Richards, director at Northstar Ventures, said: “We are delighted to be able to support this culturally significant enterprise which provides true social impact within the region.”

The North East Social Investment Fund invests in social enterprises with individual investments ranging from £100,000 to £1m and it is targeted at organisations which exist primarily to deliver social impact and which reinvest the majority of their surpluses to further their social mission.

Earlier this year the Tyneside Cinema also secured a six-figure loan from the North East Social Investment Fund. The cinema’s CEO Nic Greenan said the £700,000 loan marked a “new beginning”, putting it in a position to act on an ambitious turnaround plan and become self-sufficient and self-funding.