Support us

The Generator: Help us power creativity for everyone

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.

Funding raised to date

We are almost at the point of opening, having successfully raised over £3.1 million and we are approaching companies that we would like to partner with 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, to attract and retain people and to improve the lives of everyone living in the area.

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.

Governance

The Generator building on Packe Street, is owned by us - a community-led arts and cultural company, managed by a not-for-profit organisation. The board members have worked tirelessly over the last 10 years, to ensure that this important building, The Generator is not lost and is retained for the towns benefit as a valuable asset.

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 to partner with local companies or organisations who’s aims and values align to ours.

In Summary

We welcome local businesses to become founding corporate partners of The Generator, helping us complete this vital community resource.

Your support will help us with:

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

  • Ongoing: Launch programmes specifically focused on and exciting and diverse programme of events and activities.

  • Long-term: Create sustainable cultural infrastructure that centres historically excluded voices while building confidence and capability and make Loughborough an attractive place to live and work.

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.

Partner with us and help us to open this importance space for Loughborough together.

Next Steps:

Let's have a conversation.

We'd love to meet you. We’d be happy to arrange a short tour of The Generator building where you could meet the team behind this amazing local project.

Contact us to arrange

Email: info@generatorlboro.org