The Newquay music school asking Cornwall for £5,000

Walk into 11 Bank Street in Newquay and you will find walls hung with guitars, a shop counter, and a recording booth wrapped floor to ceiling in acoustic foam. It has helped hundreds of local musicians pick up an instrument, build confidence and get on stage since 2016. Now the team behind it want Cornwall’s help to take it further.

📷The Studios Newquay Founder & Musical Director Nadine Finney.

A studio built from a front room

The Studios Newquay began life as The Singing Studios in 2016, when founder and musical director Nadine Finney started teaching singing from home. Originally from Australia, Nadine trained in AMEB singing in contemporary pop and jazz before completing a Diploma of Musical Theatre at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts, the country’s best known theatre training school. She is also a performer in her own right, one half of the country band Bow River alongside her husband, Scott Finney, and one of the region’s more sought-after live acts.

As demand grew, so did the team, with piano, guitar and drum tutors joining to teach students of all ages. In 2022 the operation moved to Bank Street, adding a music shop, rehearsal spaces and a recording studio to support a growing community of musicians.

📷Nadine Finney has been teaching students of all ages in Newquay since 2016.

From confidence to a career

The Studios has since taught hundreds of students and given musicians a place to learn, rehearse, record and perform, some of whom now play professionally across Cornwall and beyond. The team also works with organisations supporting disadvantaged young people, and runs an annual programme of events, including a Christmas Concert, a Busking Concert and the Newquay Beer Festival, alongside its Giveback Concert, which has raised around £12,000 for Cornwall school music departments.

“We see every day how music can build confidence, create friendships and give people a voice,” said Nadine Finney. “Cornwall has an incredible amount of musical talent, but access to professional recording facilities and the support needed to develop as an artist can be difficult and expensive. We want to help change that.”

The £5,000 target

That ambition is behind a new fundraising campaign. The community-driven organisation has launched a GoFundMe campaign asking local people and businesses to help fund the first phase of a studio upgrade, with a £5,000 target.

The plan is to improve the recording facilities, acoustics, vocal recording capability and space at Bank Street, creating what the team describes as a professional yet affordable and supportive place for musicians from Newquay and the surrounding area to record, rehearse and start building a career. The community has already put in £1,000 towards the target.

It is only the first step. The GoFundMe campaign covers Phase 1 of a longer-term vision, with The Studios aiming to support local artists through development programmes and workshops covering professional recording, mentoring, creative opportunities and industry guidance.

📷Nadine is an accomplished musician gigging in Cornwall.

What’s on the wishlist

Behind the £5,000 figure sits a detailed shopping list. It runs from a new mixing desk and studio laptop down to microphones, stage boxes, mic stands and acoustic treatment, alongside less glamorous but necessary items such as air conditioning and studio lighting. Some pieces run into the hundreds of pounds, others are smaller, and the team says any business or individual with used or unused equipment to spare, rather than cash, would be just as welcome.

More than a cash total

Support does not have to mean a financial donation. The Studios is also looking for musical equipment, industry support, business partnerships, publicity and social media shares, all of which the team says could help the campaign reach further than it could alone. Donors are being offered a range of incentives in return, from vouchers for rehearsal space and recording time to Studios merchandise and store discounts.

“We’re not just trying to raise money for a room full of equipment,” Nadine added. “We’re investing in a space that could help hundreds of local musicians over the years. Every donation, piece of equipment, introduction or share could help us create another opportunity for someone with a passion for music.”

📷The existing recording space is in need of upgraded equipment to meet industry standards.