Gig Space Collective

Welcome to the matilda gig space collective's web pages. Here you will find some more information about what we are trying to create with the space; photos of its ongoing transformation; and some further writing by collective members on the importance of having an autonomous not for profit space where independent counterculture, under the ‘Do It Yourself’ ethos, can flourish.

This weeks favourite picture is Kathleen's poster for Walk the Plank gig and direct action info sharing night that we are doing

For details of events click upcoming events

So what are this bunch of anarcho-punks trying to achieve?

The gig space collective is a group of people involved in radical/underground music scenes who wanted to create an autonomous space for music in Sheffield, which was self organised and run to meet our needs as lovers and makers of music rather than the needs of commercial venues. A free or guerrilla space (or even rebel enclave!) where we could set our own agenda outside the usual limitations and controls placed on us. As more and more public space in our urban environments is handed over to businesses for money making activities, the space for ordinary people to get creative and make something fantastic happen is getting less and less. Starting Matilda and its gig space is us taking action to fight back and reclaim some of this space in Sheffield, claw it back from shopping, business parks, luxury flats and swanky pubs and clubs and hopefully enable new and exciting things to happen! Grassroots independent music, untainted by the profit making motives of the big corporations, has always had the best ideas, pushed our boundaries and had the most genuine and challenging things to say – we wanted a space in Sheffield where this could continue to flourish.

Other than developing the gig space our main role is to help people who want to use the space to organise a gig smoothly set this up. If you are interested in using the space just get in touch with us. Please also look at the Fequently Asked Questions section, for more information on the space itself and putting on an event there. The best thing by far is to try and meet up with us to talk through what Matilda has to offer you!

To get in touch with us email: matilda_gigspace@yahoo.co.uk

Collective meetings: If you would like to join us we meet fortnightly at 7pm every other Monday (next one 8th May) – it's kept short ‘n’ sweet. Please feel free to come down and discuss your gig proposal with us.

What exactly is matilda.....?

So you've made it as far as our pages and you haven't yet quite totally figured out what matilda is about other than a rad community space with lots of people doing cool new stuff! Matilda as a whole never got around to writing a statement of its vision for the project. But the gig space collective has one we would like to share with you!

We see Matilda as a place in the heart of the city where art, music and activism collide. It is a base where grassroots projects and campaigns can flourish. It is us taking action to reclaim space in the city where people can come together and make stuff happen out of a desire for alternatives and change, rather than profit.

The space is run on the [anarchist derived] principles of self-organisation, mutual aid and co-operation. There is no hierarchy, no management committee, it is run by the people who use and contribute to the space – for us, by us!......yeah!

Ok, now let's rock.....