THE Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford on Avon is proud to have hit its fundraising target of £100,000 as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Throughout 2019 WMC has been fundraising towards the £100,000 appeal to support its Artistic and Creative Learning programmes and a major auditorium lighting upgrade, to help improve the centre’s energy efficiency and sustainability.

In order to reach the target, the centre has been rallying the support of its audiences, volunteers and stakeholders through a range of fundraising activities, including special concerts and events, a charity auction, appeals and participation in the M&S Energy Fund competition, in which 1,964 supporters voted to help to win the Centre £12,000 towards the lighting upgrade as part of the appeal.

Chief executive Maud Saint-Sardos said: “This appeal marked a significant step-up in WMC’s fundraising activities and an opportunity to share our story far and wide, recognising the centre’s rich history but also its potential to be even more extraordinary in the years to come.

“We are so very grateful to all those who have supported this appeal and given us the confidence, in spite of a highly competitive and uncertain arts-funding environment, to continue to be bold and ambitious with our programming.

“We can’t wait to see what the next 20 years brings.

“Thank you to all who made this possible.”

Originally founded in 1997 as a rehearsal and performance space, especially for young musicians, over the last 20 years the centre has become a professional concert hall of national repute, presenting over 160 performances every year from classical, jazz, folk and world musicians, alongside rising stars and local talent.

The centre has also developed its Creative Learning side, delivering community projects every year across the county.

That includes its flagship Zone Club for young learning disabled adults, in-schools workshops led by visiting artists and the regional youth symphony and jazz orchestras The West of England Youth Orchestra and Wiltshire Youth Jazz Orchestra.

The support has enabled the Centre to embark on a string of new projects over the last year, including the launch of a new Young String Quartet Fellowship.