Mission Statement
To celebrate Greater Manchester music, protect its heritage and promote awareness of its cultural importance
Aims
- To celebrate Greater Manchester music
- To raise awareness of the influence of Greater Manchester music and highlight unsung eras in its history
- To protect vulnerable collections pertaining to Greater Manchester music
- To record and document the memories of fans, artists and industry alike
- To facilitate exhibitions and events about Greater Manchester music that target as broad an audience as possible
- To develop a not-for-profit self-sustaining organisation to achieve the above
Objectives
- To prevent the disappearance of artefacts by uncovering vulnerable collections and identifying an appropriate ‘home’ for them
- To approach (and encourage approaches from) people wishing to share their experiences of Greater Manchester music and document these oral histories in a variety of media
- To raise public awareness of such collections by organising events and exhibitions in a variety of easily accessible, ‘down-to-earth’ venues as well as in traditional exhibition spaces
- To provide an online resource/virtual archive that will map the evolution of Greater Manchester music from a chosen start point
Core Values
- We will tell the story of Greater Manchester music with historical accuracy
- We will be the trusted ‘caretakers’ of the collective memory
- We will be a flexible and responsive organisation that listens to community opinion
Matthew Norman
Co-Founder
Matthew Norman is a freelance filmmaker, artist and photographer. A member of the highly-respected Salford-based film collective 'Soup', Mat has worked with Doves, Elbow, Rebelski, Lamb and Graham Massey of 808 State. He has also directed several acclaimed documentaries for Urbis. Since founding MDMArchive in 2003, Mat and fellow co-founder Alison have built an impressive archive of filmed interviews featuring Manchester music luminaries such as Johnny Marr, Phil Moss, Graham Nash, Tony Wilson and John Mayall. Mat managed the highly successful 'Blues and Gospel Train Came To Chorlton' event for MDMArchive and also put together the Manchester room of the Urbis punk exhibition, ‘Sex, Seditionaries and the Sex Pistols’.
Alison Surtees
Co-Founder
Alison Surtees co-founded MDMArchive in 2003 with Matthew Norman. She develops strategic partnerships and business growth for the project alongside expanding the filmed archive with Mat. In her role as Project Co-ordinator for Creative Industry in Salford, Alison works on fundraising and project management across Salford. She is also a freelance camerawomen and a former Media Studies lecturer at the University of Salford.
Abigail Ward
Chairperson
Abigail Ward is a freelance writer, DJ and project manager. She joined MDMArchive as Chairperson in 2004. She is a veteran of Manchester's record shops, having worked at Vinyl Exchange, Kingbee, HMV and Piccadilly Records. She DJs regularly across the city, and hosts Big Strings Attached, a soul and soundtracks night held at The Bay Horse in the Northern Quarter. She co-ordinated the funding and development of the award-winning MDMArchive website, and is currently engaged in overseeing the editing and publication of '1 Top Class Manager' - The Notebooks of Joy Division's Manager 1978-80.
Dave Rofe
Secretary
Former ACR drum roadie and renowned Hacienda DJ Dave Rofe now manages Doves and Cherry Ghost. He joined the MDMArchive board as Secretary in 2004 has contributed greatly to the strategic development of the project ever since.
CP Lee
Treasurer and Spokesperson
Cultural historian, author, performer and lecturer Dr CP Lee has written widely about Manchester music. He joined the board in 2004 and has since represented MDMArchive on TV, radio and at two seminars. CP fronted legendary art punk band Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias.
Supporters
Cobbetts LLP
Creative Industries Development Service
Creative Industry in Salford
Halle
In the City
Lowry Theatre
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Music Network
Manchester Digital Development Agency
Museum of Science and Industry
North West Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
Royal Northern College of Music Archive
Salford Lads' Club
Urbis
Working Class Movement Library
