DESCRIPTION:
Sound Gallery Studios Sound Gallery CIC runs Sound Gallery Studios, a professional recording studio at Exeter Phoenix in the cultural heart of the city. Sound Gallery also provides rehearsal spaces and designs and delivers live music showcases, music technology courses, multi-media projects and music industry events.

Sound Gallery CIC is a social enterprise, founded in September 2007 by a team of driven and experienced musicians, educators and technicians. Sound Gallery is dedicated to the development of original creative works produced by talented musicians and to the provision of music-making opportunities, especially for young people aged 11-25 who are socially or financially disadvantaged and lacking in creative opportunities. Our underlying themes and driving principles are: accessibility, equal opportunities, creative learning, originality, talent, passion and innovative, high quality artistic work. Sound Gallery aims to nurture, support and develop musicians and musical projects in the South West of England.

Previous to becoming a CIC, Sound Gallery's team of volunteers, freelance musicians, songwriters and producers were involved in delivering music technology workshops, enrichment programmes and multi-media projects, promoting live music events for local bands, seeking commissions for talented artists and organising music industry seminars, exhibitions and festivals in and around Exeter for several years. These key people are now valuable staff members and Directors of Sound Gallery CIC and as a direct result of their work, our organisation has an excellent reputation and has forged strong links with many key players involved in the music industry, including countless musicians, arts organisations, businesses, schools and colleges at local, regional and national level.

Sound Gallery Studios is set up and run by Sound Gallery CIC, a social enterprise set up primarily to offer access and music making opportunities to young people aged 11-18, especially those who are socially or financially disadvantaged and are at risk of social exclusion. Our studios are driven by the desire to make a difference in people's life chances and to benefit young people who are not in education, employment or training. Unlike other commercial businesses, we reinvest our profits back into our business so we can do more good, instead of distributing them to directors or shareholders like other commercial businesses. In short, Sound Gallery combines doing business with doing good at the same time!

Sound Gallery aims to become financially self-sustainable by widening its range of potential funding sources to include commercial trading and loan finance as well as grant funding, which has previously been its main source of income as a voluntary organisation. Sound Gallery's objectives as a social enterprise, are concerned first and foremost with community interest, rather than commercial gain for its members. Any profits are invested into the development of the organisation for the benefit of the local community; there is no option for profit sharing to shareholders.