Support us

Help us power creativity for everyone

We're Reaching Out to The Access Foundation, we would love your support, why not join us and help us to successfully open the Generator

This is a Partnership Opportunity 

The Generator is Loughborough's long awaited Arts and Cultural Venue

Our mission is to:

  • Have a dramatic impact on the arts and cultural offering

  • Make Loughborough an attractive and exciting place to live for all

  • Offer an exciting mix of  exhibitions, workshops, live music, talks, performances, nightlife and much more.

We are almost at the point of opening, having successfully raised over £3.1 million and we are  approaching partners to help us get over the line to kit out and enhance this unique space.   

About us

The Generator is a community-led arts and cultural venue. We're here to spark creativity by bringing together artists, thinkers, and change-makers. Through bold programming and a warm, welcoming space, we want to create room for fresh ideas to take shape, grow, and hopefully make a real difference.

We believe that access to art opportunities should be available and open to all, regardless of geographical location, marginalised experiences, or socioeconomic background.

Participatory arts has the potential to garner real social change within communities, and we intend to utilise that potential through bottom-up co-created collaborative art initiatives and community engagement.

The Generator story

The building began life in 1921 as Britain's first educational power station, created by visionary J.F. Driver who salvaged electrical equipment from WWI U-boats. For nearly four decades, it served as both a working facility and hands-on training ground for Loughborough College students. After power generation ceased in 1960, it became home to the Art College until 2011.

The Generator now has a new life, thanks to a sympathetic and sustainable restoration it is a place for ideas and imagination, where creativity brings people together and new possibilities can take shape.

The beginnings

The Generator is a community-led arts and cultural venue. We're here to spark creativity by bringing together artists, thinkers, and change-makers. Through bold programming and a warm, welcoming space, we want to create room for fresh ideas to take shape, grow, and hopefully make a real difference.

We believe that access to art opportunities should be available and open to all, regardless of geographical location, marginalised experiences, or socioeconomic background.

Participatory arts has the potential to garner real social change within communities, and we intend to utilise that potential through bottom-up co-created collaborative art initiatives and community engagement.

What we stand for

Shared commitment to access  - Bridging the digital divide, removing barriers to cultural participation for marginalised and disadvantaged communities

  • Digital inclusion - Modern arts participation increasingly requires digital access and skills - we're addressing both cultural AND digital exclusion

  • We believe that access to art opportunities should be available and open to all, regardless of geographical location, marginalised experiences, or socioeconomic background.

  • Participatory arts has the potential to garner real social change within communities, and we intend to utilise that potential through bottom-up co-created collaborative art initiatives and community engagement.

Where we are now

We’re so close to Opening and this is where your support is most welcome

After successfully raising  over £3.1M to complete the building renovation, construction challenges have resulted in a final funding gap. We require help to complete the fit-out which includes:

  • Equipping the performance space with professional lighting and sound

  • Completing essential operational areas (bar, office spaces)

  • Furnishing the workshop rooms for community use

  • Finalising safety, signage, and accessibility features

Our Approach to Completing the Project

We aim to secure the final funding required through corporate partnerships with organisations that share our values around community impact, inclusion and access for all.

This isn't about financial distress - it's about finishing strong with partners whose values align with ours. We would like The Access Foundation's name connected with this project because you represent exactly what we stand for: breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for disadvantaged communities.  

In Summary

We're inviting The Access Foundation to become a founding corporate partner of The Generator, helping us complete this vital community resource and establish it as a centre for both cultural AND digital inclusion.

Your support could help with:

  • Immediate: Complete the building fit-out and open doors to the community

  • Ongoing: Launch programmes specifically focused on digital inclusion through the arts, serving disadvantaged young people, isolated older adults, and low-income families

  • Long-term: Create sustainable cultural infrastructure that centres historically excluded voices while building digital confidence and capability

Measurable impact: Track participants' digital skills progression alongside creative development

We think The Access Group is a good partnership fit because:

Double-impact alignment - It addresses both cultural exclusion AND digital exclusion in one project

  • Local legacy - It gives you the opportunity to support a transformational project on your doorstep in Loughborough

  • Employee engagement - It gives your team a vibrant local venue and demonstrates corporate values in action

  • Authentic values match - It gives you the opportunity to partner with an organisation whose commitment to inclusivity, openness and access mirrors your foundation's mission

  • Proven delivery - It gives you the opportunity to associate Access with a local community group that has already successfully secured £3.1M from major funders who have confidence in our capability, along with the local community that have backed us to the tune of £50K+ and are extremely enthusiastic about this important space opening. 

  • Recognition - It provides you with the opportunity to become a founding partner in a landmark community project

Benefits and Potential funding:

We would welcome a conversation about the level of benefits that you would like to see in relation to the support you’d be able to offer.   

Potential Funding Routes

We understand The Access Foundation has several pathways for support and we're flexible about which would work best:

1. Employee Nominated Not-for-profit: If The Generator resonates with Access Group staff members in Loughborough (this could be a valuable local arts and cultural venue on their doorstep), we'd welcome their nomination. We'd be happy to present to interested employees or host a site visit.

2. Bridging the Digital Divide - Primary Focus Area Project-specific funding for our digital inclusion programmes - this is the strongest alignment with your foundation's core mission. We can develop a specific programme with measurable outcomes tracking digital skills development through creative arts participation.

3. Corporate Partnership Direct sponsorship aligned with shared values around community access, inclusivity and breaking down barriers. This could include named recognition for specific spaces or equipment.

We're genuinely flexible - what matters most is finding the right fit for The Access Foundation's priorities and grant-making approach.

Next Steps:

Let's have a conversation.

We'd love to arrange a brief tour of The Generator building and a coffee at Public (the café next door). Once you see the space and hear more about our digital inclusion plans, we're confident you'll understand why this is such a strong fit for The Access Foundation.

The building is in central Loughborough, home to your Armstrong Building headquarters, so this feels like a genuine local partnership opportunity

We're also happy to:

  • Present to your trustees

  • Arrange a site visit for interested Access Group employees

  • Develop a specific programme proposal focused on digital inclusion outcomes

  • Discuss recognition and partnership benefits in more detail

Contact

Email: info@generatorlboro.org