Oblong's History

Oblong began in just the same way as many of our member projects - a group of unemployed people wanting to make a difference to the area but not really knowing how to go about it. We began in 1996, trying and eventually failing to set up a new arts centre in Hyde Park. We were asked to take over the running of an arts studio in Meanwood Road called Oblong, and it was here that we began a tiny resource centre. As time passed we grew in numbers, started becoming a little more organised and widened our aims to support any action that would help change the community for the better, although music and art was still our main focus.

In 2002 we received a large grant from the National Lottery and for the first time began to employ paid staff. We left Carr Mills and established a new centre in Westfield Road struggling to turn a derelict scooter repair workshop into a warm, comfortable and practical space to work. We finally opened at the beginning of 2003. At this point Oblong turned its focus from arts and music to being a general purpose community organisation. We attracted a wider range of community groups and volunteers and became more embedded into the networks of local community groups. In 2005 we were awarded more funding from the Big Lottery Fund, European Objective 2 and the Tudor Trust. We replaced the computers and employed a new member of staff – a Small Groups Development Worker, bringing our total number of paid staff to five.

In 2006 we helped 26 volunteers and more than 45 community groups. Towards the end of the year we heard rumours that our base in Westfield Road was going to be sold so we found ourselves a new building - Beulah Hall in Woodhouse. In December 2006 we moved into our lovely new resource centre. Funding will soon be running out, so at the start of 2007 volunteers, directors and staff went away to the Dales to start the process of planning for the future.