At Partisan, we received the news of Texture’s closure with great sadness. Texture has been a pillar of alternative nightlife in Manchester over the last two years. As one of the only venues committed to accessibility, this is a great loss for our night time culture.
Texture’s specialism in audiovisual equipment, as well sound, have provided an importance space for queer and feminist nights that would have struggled to take place in other venues, which everyone could access. The loss of the home for Under One Roof, a rave ‘designed especially for people with learning disabilities, their carers, friends and family’, is particularly lamentable and a mark against equality and diversity in the city. Texture’s accessibility was key to enabling this ground breaking and important party to take place.
More personally, the staff at Texture have always supported Partisan – despite being what others may have seen as ‘competition’ – offering us a low cost and accessible place to meet. At Partisan we continue to strive to achieve greater accessibility, working with an architect and the council to build a ramp, lift and accessible toilet in our listed building. The loss of Texture, however, makes this all the more urgent as it is essential that doors do not close in the city for those with greater access needs.
The closure of this venue represents yet another loss to the huge influxes of capital, rampant redevelopment and rapacious landlords which are homogenising the city and eradicating alternative spaces for culture, which are the slipstream of Manchester’s vibrancy and singularity.
We send solidarity and best wishes to Texture, hope that they are able to find another home from which to operate and that we can soon begin to properly value alternative culture and venues in our city. We will be pleased to support you in any way we can, just as you have supported us.
For events struggling to find a space, we would like to offer the opportunity to use Partisan, waiving our usual fee and asking only for a donation for our accessibility fund, in order to be able to provide this essential space as soon as possible. We have limited availability until we have our full licence and are not currently accessible, but we will endeavour to support any events that are in-keeping with Partisan’s values and mission as an alternative music, community and cultural centre.