Islington Mill: Big breaks and electronic epics

August feels like the month to party in – and Islington Mill’s upcoming programme might be the perfect way to celebrate their recent success.

Only a few days into Islington Mill’s guest residency at the Liverpool Biennial, Arts Council England announced their next allocation of funding for the north. High-profile events – including MIF – were rewarded with continued support, both for their international scope and huge tourist benefits. Smaller-scale, experimental peers like Abandon Normal Devices and FutureEverything also had their immediate futures secured. But which way would the coin fall for Islington Mill?

The Mill’s long-held breath was rewarded with a huge vote of confidence from ACE: just short of £1 million of funding. The money will to go towards an ambitious program of refurbishment and expansion – or, as the custodians of the Mill like to think of it, safeguarding the future. At their Black-E residence in Liverpool, they had chance to celebrate the news. It seemed like an appropriate event; one that fostered open conversations and experimental collaborations with an array of artists and musicians that will feed into a future vision. That vision now seems more solidly real.

Two different but equally unusual electronic acts are set to play the Mill’s club space in the same weekend

Back home, the show must go on: two different but equally unusual electronic acts are set to play the Mill’s club space in the same weekend. On Friday 8 August the mysterious and notoriously camera-shy Dopplereffekt bring their scientific music/visuals package to Salford. It’s a rare live show that will excite electronic aficionados everywhere. The very next night will see a twelve hour (or more) music extravaganza, featuring Craig Bratley, A Love From Outer Space and future-facing DJ prodigy, Daniel Avery. Avery’s credentials are flawless (resident at Fabric, he was signed by Erol Alkan) and he’s owned rooms everywhere from Festival No. 6 to the Warehouse Project with the kind of unpredictable rollercoaster sets that put absolute faith in his audience. This epic Saturday session kicks off at 5pm and continues until the last man standing. It will no doubt allow Avery and his supports to let their imaginations and their decks go further than ever.

The Mill’s funding success will, hopefully, mean big things for both the organisation and the area it’s based in. At the Biennial’s official opening, Peter Bazalgette from ACE considered a simple equation: that art tourism equals massive economic returns, quoting Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson as saying, “it isn’t rocket science, but it is rocket fuel.” When it comes to Islington Mill, we hope he’s right.

Both Dopplereffekt and Daniel Avery have now been moved to Antwerp Mansion due to an unresolved issue with patron noise and the Mill’s neighbouring residents. See the website for details.