On Saturday October 18, SoCo Music Project and their arts partners officially launched The Courthouse with live music, storytelling, performance events and whole host of creative music and arts workshops.
Director Matt Salvage is excited to see the court complex get a new lease of life.
⤽We have two large performance spaces and a lobby with a café as well as rehearsal and studio space. With the support of Eastleigh Borough Council we⤙ve brought together an incredible range of partners for the project, offering workshops and activities across the region in music, fine art, film and performance.  We have offices for emerging creative social enterprises and plenty of room for artists to exhibit too. As a project it⤙s unique and we⤙re keen to welcome in the whole community to get involvedâ¤.
As well as regenerating a redundant building, the project will also see instruments that have lain silent for sometime brought to life by a whole new generation of talented musicians.
⤽We⤙re working in partnership with Southampton Music Service to create a scratch orchestra, giving young people the chance to try every type of instrument, and mixing it up with urban and electronic styles to produce some incredible resultsâ¤.
It⤙s not the first time SoCo have been based in an unusual home ⤓ until February 2013, they could be found in the Bargate Shopping Centre in the centre of Southampton.
They created a central point for musicians, film-makers, producers and performers to showcase their talent, record sessions, receive tuition and attend workshops in a wide range of creative activities.
⤽Here in Eastleigh we⤙re taking a cold grey building that has stood empty for years and turning it into a vibrant creative space where talent can blossomâ¤.
⤽We are keen to develop a space where the community can engage in arts, culture and music ⤓ it will be a safe environment where people don⤙t need to feel daunted coming through the doors. There really will be something for everyone,⤠he said.
SoCo has major ambitions for the project and there are plans to hold a series of major musical events supported by Hampshire County Council, including a Festival of International Music in February 2015 and a Festival of Urban Culture in November 2014.
⤽We have got The Courthouse for the next 18 months before the site is redeveloped and we⤙ve got ambitions to make it nationally recognised in that time, it⤙s an exciting time to be in Eastleighâ¤.
⤽Eastleigh already has the Point which is recognised for contemporary performance and dance, the Sorting Office for designer/makers and a brand new Tech Hub for digital creatives ⤓ this really is a creative place and we feel the time is right for The Courthouse to make some noise, ⤽ said Matt.
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