A PLEA for help by brilliant Redditch-based Indigo Arts has brought a rousing response from local residents.
The all singing and performing ensemble for children and adults, based in its Arts Lab in the Kingfisher Shopping Centre, has seen its income vanish in the current crisis.
A show which had been due to go out just as the lockdown happened had to be cancelled, along with all its popular workshops.
A performance by its girl vocal group The Violettes on Saturday April 4 has also been pulled while the cancellation of the Edinburgh Festival and Fringe, where they were due to perform ‘Bleached’ – their own 90s revival jukebox show – has added to their headache.
Undeterred, director Cathy Moss organised a ‘virtual performance’ which has proved a real hit on Facebook.
“Our Monday group had been practising really hard and then to see the whole thing cancelled after all their work, was difficult for them,” she said.
The youngsters were asked to film themselves performing the songs, the video clips were then sewn together by Cathy’s daughter Mollie and her husband Luke, and the finished product posted on Indigo’s Facebook page.
Meanwhile to help pay ongoing running costs, Cathy put out an appeal for help.
“Like other organisations we are now in a position where everything that we do to keep ourselves afloat has been closed down, and we have no way of making an income,” said Cathy.
“Even if we cannot run projects, we still need to pay the rent, and energy bills, and ensure that we have a home for our amazing community to return to when we get back!”
The appeal asked for £600, but the public wanted to do better than that and so far £700 has been donated to keep them going.
“The support we’ve received has been wonderful – we can’t thank people enough.
The joy that Indigo provides will be needed more than ever when we come through the other side which is why we’re trying to give something back with our virtual performances,” said Cathy.
