Mission Statement
Established in 2007, 2Funky Arts (2FA) is a social enterprise, dedicated to advancing and celebrating arts and music of black origin. Our projects work instinctively to stir emotion, provoke debate, nurture collaborations, and push boundaries across sub-genres.
A Brief History
Our Director Vijay Mistry ran 2Funky Records from 1997 to 2012; an independent record store based in Leicester with an international reputation among DJs, artists and tastemakers. This is where the 2Funky story began.
In 2007, Vijay set up 2Funky Arts – bringing his passion for arts and music of black origin, to diverse communities across the city and beyond.
Since then, we’ve staged events at major venues such as Curve Theatre and De Montfort Hall, including Midlands Best Dance Crew. In 2009, our organisation managed part of the cultural programme for Leicester’s Special Olympics (The Lyric Lounge).
Inspired by the array of talented artists that we’ve worked with, our 2013 Spectrum documentary focuses on Leicester’s Black music scene which spans over 40 years.
In recent years, we have programmed international artists for 2Funky Complex, which is based in Leicester’s vibrant West End. These have included Luciano, Akala, KRS-One, Children Of Zeus, David Rodigan, Dub Pistols, Mica Paris, Botown, Julian Marley & Grandmaster Flash.
Youth Music have funded programmes such as 2Sing, Project Band and The Grime Sessions, which have engaged with hundreds of young people in positive music-making initiatives.
Our projects have featured on Panorama and Sky News.
Our annual flagship event, Festival2Funky, has run for seven years (hosted online in 2020 to engage audiences in lockdown).
Meanwhile, Radio2Funky continues to entertain forty thousand listeners across the UK, through its FM and internet presence.
We continue to plan, develop, innovate, and deliver high quality arts activities in the context of an ever-changing creative sector.
Vijay Mistry
Vijay is 2Funky Arts’ Artistic Director, with 27 years’ arts & programming experience, driven by a passion for Black music & culture. He ran Leicester’s internationally renowned 2Funky Records from 1997-2012, alongside managing record labels such as Café De Soul and a variety of popular club nights. In 2007, he set up social enterprise 2Funky Arts, which was followed by internet based Radio2Funky in 2012 (now Ofcom FM/Dab Licensed).
In 2015, Vijay set up 2Funky Music Café, which has since added two new venues and become the mighty 2Funky Complex. Based in Leicester’s vibrant West End, this hosts a variety of happenings, from live music to clubnights, private parties to corporate events.
Vijay is Chair of Baby People and in 2020 he was given a #TogetherWeCare award for outstanding work in supporting local communities through the pandemic. He has also been an East Midlands Women’s Award Winner (Male Supporting Women category). Vijay is particularly experienced in developing multi-sectoral partnerships and managing artist development and large-scale public events.
Rebecca Wooster
Rebecca handles much of our fundraising, compliance, and evaluation, as well as overseeing brand representation. She has been with us since 2007, but with many more years’ arts experience. Her first venture was Project Coordinator for Leicester Comedy Festival, as part of their award-winning arts & health programme (Hurt Until It Laughs). Rebecca went on to work for The Spark Children Arts Festival and Mantle Arts. In 2016, she evaluated a Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust arts & mental health project (Project LALU). She has also worked in fundraising, which has included securing major bids through Arts Council, Youth Music, and The National Lottery Heritage & Community Funds. Early in her career, Rebecca was a music writer for The Big Issue and Phoenix Festival guide.
Sophie Antunes
ATTISH DAVDA
Radio2Funky ManagerSam Warren
Sam has previously worked as a Creative Development Manager for Serendipity Artist Movement Ltd. He has a Research Masters in Music, Technology & Innovation, and a CM3 Project Management Award, through Innovate UK. He is responsible for managing 2Funky Arts projects including: Festival2Funky, And Still I Rise, TakeOff and Project LIVE. He is also responsible for the marketing and sustainability of the radio station, including generating income through sponsorship and non-commercial fundraising.
Francesca Nethercot
She/her
With a background in Human Resources and Event Planning, Francesca provides invaluable insight and assistance to the many projects 2Funky Arts run. She works with a variety of partners and artists, ensuring all access and support needs are explored and assists artists at projects. She has previously worked in various music venues and has experience as a promotions manager and bar supervisor. She is also the Social Secretary for Leicester’s Women’s and Non-Binary Baseball club, Leicester Diamonds.
Vijay Mistry
Rebecca Wooster
Sophie Antunes
Attish Davda
Sam Warren
Francesca Nethercot
Kajal Nisha Patel
Dr Amit Dinesh Patel
LOZ JONES
Natea Joseph
Evette Walker
Shailesh Parmar
Kajal Nisha Patel
Dr Amit Dinesh Patel
Evette Walker
Loz Jones
Natea Joseph
Shailesh Parmar
ARTS & EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS
2FA has worked in schools, colleges, pupil referral units and community centres, complementing accredited programmes and the national curriculum. With a pool of experienced practitioners, we can tailor workshops to suit the needs of any given age or ability group. Art forms include Street & Breakdance, MCing, Lyric Writing, Vocal training, Music Production, Photography, Graphic Design and Hip Hop Theatre. These range from one off workshops to longer programmes that are accredited by the Arts Award.
Marketing & Artist Promotion
2FA offers services in developing promotional material and online marketing. We have created effective marketing material for events, festivals and exhibitions, aimed at maximising attendance. For years, 2FA has worked with artists and promoters to develop eye catching and cost-effective promotional material, including e-flyers, posters and merchandise. We also have a following of 22K+ via our social media platforms and mailing lists, and regularly share promotional information on behalf of artists and partners.
Project Management
Our talented team can provide project management services to run artist development, educational, arts in health, heritage and community initiatives. Strong links with local venues, cultural partners, and artists and audiences, enhance our ability to deliver impressive results. We have previously run projects in partnership with Leicester City Council, Curve Theatre and Punch Records.
Event Organising & Programming
Our team has 20+ years’ experience in organising events and working with local promoters. We specialise in music and arts of Black origin. Examples include Midlands Best Dance Crew, The Real McCoy Comedy Show, Project LIVE showcases, The Live Sessions and Festival2Funky. We also have experience of running online events, working with professional live streaming service providers, having reached 49K through Festival2Funky 2020.
Artist Training & Development
We deliver masterclasses and artist development/ training programmes. 2FA can tailor-make a programme to suit your group, in areas such as DJing, Music Production, MCing and Vocal Training. We also offer advice in marketing and career development. 2FA has run artist development programmes funded by Arts Council England, ESF, PRS Foundation and Youth Music.
Volunteering
We regularly host events and projects that involve volunteers in training and/ or hands on work experience, and have previously run accredited programmes. We can also offer training and work experience for groups. Supporters of our volunteer projects have included the Big Lottery Community Fund.