The Malt Cross is pleased to announce their arts and events venue is gearing up to welcome people back for an eclectic events programme in collaboration with YMCA Robin Hood Group (formerly Nottinghamshire YMCA).
The venue is also set to host the 150-year-old youth charity, which will relocate to the Malt Cross in November under the new name ‘YMCA Front Room @ Malt Cross’.
YMCA Robin Hood Group sports a rich history of delivering events and this grade-II listed former Victorian music hall, on St James’ Street, will become a central hub for the charity’s community activities as the two organisations come together for the benefit of local people.
A new winter events programme is being finalised, with the iconic heritage Malt Cross venue working hard to elevate the city’s cultural identity through a dynamic programme that promote youth development, social responsibility and healthy living for all.
The core motivation is to promote social mobility and empower local young people to belong, contribute and thrive.
This new format means the venue will be accessible for a unique programme of ticketed events appealing to all ages and interests, including many free ones. Events will cover a variety of themes, ranging from supper clubs and art classes to live music and the much-anticipated relaunch of the venue’s ever-popular Christmas Carols festive extravaganza.
The Street Pastors initiative, housed by the charity, is also now back up-and-running after lockdown to deliver support for vulnerable individuals in Nottingham city centre on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Joe Piliero, Executive Director for Hospitality at YMCA Robin Hood Group, said: “When YMCA became the custodian of the Malt Cross, we pledged to empower this venue to thrive as a dynamic events space that inspires our community’s next generation to grow and learn together.
“By revitalising the direction of how we manage our night-time economy, we are eager to breathe fresh life into this venue’s ability to contribute meaningfully to the communities we support and better serve Nottingham’s residents. Our shared values and strong relationship with the Malt Cross Trust positions us brilliantly to develop this commitment to nurturing safe social environments which celebrate heritage and open doors for young people.
“We look forward to welcoming visitors back to this iconic venue after more than a year of being closed, to enjoy a diverse range of activities throughout the year – whether it be supper clubs, live music evenings or TED Talk style events. In particular, Christmas Carols is a much-loved annual event for the people of Nottingham, and it’s my pleasure to confirm it will be going ahead this year.”
Community action is already underway at the venue, with the Malt Cross kitchen team being proud to prepare 4,360 meals for formerly homeless residents living in YMCA supported housing, and 347 fresh hot meals for frontline keyworkers during lockdown. Meals were hand-delivered by YMCA Robin Hood Group’s Group CEO Craig Berens and Chair of Trustees Mike McKeever.
Dates for this year’s Christmas Carols event have now been confirmed as 6, 7, 9 and 13-15 December. Booking details and the full events programme will be announced shortly.