DJs swapping Beats for Eats receive Together Gloucester funding
The dance charity night is among the innovative arts and cultural events and groups being backed by Together Gloucester funding, a transformative cultural programme supported by Arts Council England and Gloucester City Council.
Beats for Eats is organised by friends Bleu Buckland and Alfie Herbert, both from Gloucester, who have been running events together for the last six years.
They are looking to stage their innovative idea at Gloucester Guildhall later in the year.
Bleu said: “Many local people are struggling to afford basic food supplies, while food banks are under immense pressure to keep up with rising demand. At the same time, Gloucester’s dance music scene has fallen way behind neighbouring cities like Bristol due to venue closures and limited opportunities for emerging artists. Our goal is to host a dance event that creates both social and cultural impact. Instead of buying tickets people can donate food or make a small donation on the door, with all profits going to Gloucester Food Bank.”
Councillor Caroline Courtney, cabinet member for Culture and Leisure, said: “Together Gloucester was set up to enliven the cultural calendar and support a wider range of groups and individuals to put on events in all parts of our city and in our communities. We’ve been delighted with the range of projects that have come forward and Beats for Eats is great example of the types of innovative new ideas that the funding is there to support.”
Other recipients of the Together Gloucester funding, which has so far backed around 60 projects, include a Mending Café at the Folk to support mental health and wellbeing.
Other projects include: Gloucestershire Dance Day, a celebration of movement in the heart of Gloucester, and Kingsholm Textile Wall, the community-led creation of a textile mural, which is also supported by Gloucester City Homes. For the full list of grants awarded, visit: https://www.visitgloucester.co.uk/business-support/together-gloucester/awarded-grants
Together Gloucester is a city-wide initiative whose partners include Active Gloucestershire, Gloucester BID, Gloucester Community Building Collective, Gloucester Culture Trust, Gloucestershire Gateway Trust, GUST, The Music Works, University of Gloucestershire and Young Gloucestershire.
Funding is now open with grants of up to £1000 available for applicants to trial new ideas and grow existing activities.
Applications open today and close on 19 April. Events and activities must take place between April 2026 and March 2027.
For more information on how to apply visit Funding & Commissioning Opportunities - Visit Gloucester