The Vale Reopening Season

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor

Last Updated 27 August 2021

The Vale Reopening Programme — Image courtesy of C Dyson/ The Vale.

The Vale Reopening Season, The Vale, Unit 2, Vale Mill, Micklehurst Road, Mossley, OL5 9JL – Visit Now

The Vale in Mossley has recently undergone a huge £1 million transformation to become a new state-of-the-art cultural centre. Boasting a specially curated live programme of music, dance, cinema, theatre and visual arts, the newly renovated centre will host a special launch weekend from 10 – 12 September 2021.

A new state-of-the-art cultural centre.

Visitors to the former textile mill will discover a brand-new visual arts space and community workshop, performance space and arts studio. A vibrant hub for carnival arts, The Vale is also the proud home to the Northern Carnival Centre of Excellence and two of the North West’s leading carnival arts companies Global Grooves and Cabasa CIC.

The venue will throw open its doors and welcome audiences back into the building with a jam-packed programme. Following an extremely challenging time for the entertainment industry, The Vale has also announced a lively carnival-inspired live programme – we can’t think of a better way to celebrate the building’s reopening.

The venue will throw open its doors and welcome audiences back into the building with a jam-packed programme.

Reflecting on traditions and cultures from around the world, the launch weekend celebrations will kick off with a sellout gig by Mr Wilson’s Second Liners on 10 September. Those with a ticket can expect a New Orleans and ’90s club culture musical mash-up, and a full dance floor.

The weekend picks up even more pace when Honeyfeet take to the stage on 11 September. Offering a stunning fusion of folk, jazz, blues and pop, Honeyfeet frequently perform across the UK and Europe and have played a live session for the Craig Charles’ Funk & Soul Show on BBC 6 Music. Ever brilliant, effortlessly blending traditional Irish influences and soul, the band are headed up by Rioghnach Connolly, a remarkable singer and flautist who was deservedly crowned 2019 BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year. This is an evening not to be missed and we highly recommend grabbing a ticket while you still can.

Head to The Vale on 25 September to experience the music and heritage of Gambia. Join the legendary Sefo Kanuteh, an authentic and acclaimed Kora and Belafon player, for one night only, as he shares his musical culture. Accompanied by his band, Sefo will perform using instruments he has crafted himself. Mesmorising and spectacular, Sefo is one of the UK’s leading African world music artists and has performed with renowned artists such as Baaba Maal and the BKO Quintet. Sefo will take to the stage with a group of multi-instrumentalists from the Global Grooves Carnival community who have worked together as part of a music masterclass. Join Sefo and his never-seen-before band in celebrating music, culture, collaboration and community.

Of the launch weekend and the full opening season, Leon Patel, Chief Executive Officer at Global Grooves, says: “This is such a great way to launch The Vale as a live music venue. These world-class artists are coming to a small town in Tameside to share their fantastic music with our communities. That’s exactly what The Vale is all about.”

With all the spirit and colour of the carnival, a brand spanking new building and a thrilling live music programme, The Vale offers a bright, welcoming and accessible space. We’re looking forward to visiting.