The community role of the Junction

In what ways does the Junction serve as a good example of a local community service?

The Junction is very much a community based organisation and play a very large part in the community of Cambridge. Boasting the largest music venue and most popular event venue alongside the Cambridge corn exchange and the ADC theatre, (which are more personally geared towards arts events and only feature small artist music gigs) the junction is easily the most community based organisation.

The Junction began due to an aim of maximising a new venue for the upcoming rave culture of Cambridge during the 1990s. This reduces the legality issues of rave culture, such as drugs, violence and alcohol. Instead, the Junction boasted a safe venue where rave culture could be expressed safely and therefore popularity for the Junction began to grow.

The Junction clearly promotes a venue space for community hire for events in Cambridge, for example drama productions by schools, Christmas or seasonal plays, local bands and any necessity to hire a venue at an affordable cost. In this way the unction i very much associated with the community of Cambridge and is readily and actively involved in the evolution of the community. For example, the Junction is now celebrating its 20th year anniversary and is hosting various small events with the community.

One event which is steadily gaining popularity is the Junction Fiver, a local community event geared towards the young and upcoming community - teenages aged 13 - 18. The Fiver boasts a live gig venue for local community bands who get perhaps a lifetime opportunity to play to a + 100 audience, five local bands get the opportunity to play at the venue and entry is £5, hence the name of the event. This is yet another example of how the Junction is very focused as a community organisation with a very clear community role.