Vic Ecclestone

Vic grew up in the seaside town of Great Yarmouth in the fifties and sixties at a time of teddy boys, mods and rockers. The town sported live shows every evening and the summer season buzzed with bands, groups, comedy and end of pier variety. His Mother ran a boarding house so used to get free tickets for putting up posters in the window so Vic got to see most of the big names in entertainment from a very early age. The real excitement of seeing Charlie Chester, Charlie Drake, Morcombe & Wise followed by The Who, Manfred Mann and most of the Motown recording stars. Across the river at Gorlston Floral Hall he saw bands like Pink Floyd, Cream and The Small Faces. Dull it was NOT! So surrounded by this sea of music and entertainment Vic went to Manchester to study Chemistry. For him it was a magical city with clubs like the Twisted Wheel and the Universities and Colleges that programmed in the best bands on tour, Vic was in heaven.

Vic soon became involved with ‘Ents’ at UMIST (sadly no more) and toured with the drama department at Queens. During holidays he toured with bands. After his Masters he came to Bristol, trained to be a teacher and got into the musical life of the city. The Colston Hall, The Studio Dug Out and Trinity. Goldiggers filmed punk for the BBC and Vic took the minibus full of 6^th formers to every show. WOMAD was being to run from Focus in Clifton, Stonehenge was still happening and Vic helped out at the Pilton Festival. All this and working in the special needs department of Hartcliffe School.

At School Vic started what is called now ‘Arts Enrichment’ which involved bringing national and international artists to Hartcliffe, Welsh National Opera, Birmingham Royal Ballet, English Chamber Orchestra and many artists, musicians and dancers all taught on the estate. Vic also started the Hartcliffe Boys Dance Company. This saw a hard core of young men dancing around this country and Europe, none of this happened without the help from an army of supporters, from helpers to funders.

In 1996 Vic left the UK and went to New York and San Francisco and when he returned he started the Arts charity Multi A with Andy and Rose Garnett. He has a fabulous time organising arts for over 3,000 children every week. Funded by Paul Hamlyn, James Dyson, Andy Garnett and a range of Bristol companies it later framed the seed idea for Creative Partnerships. For the last few years Vic has been working for Bristol City Council, firstly producing education projects for Colston Hall and recently as an Arts/Education Officer. Vic was Contacts Officer for St. George’s (a wonderful venue), Travelling Light Theatre and the Creative Learning Agency.

The work in Bristol caused a stir and Vic was awarded ‘Teacher of Distinction’ by Lord Michael Young followed in 1996 by Disney Teacher of the Year. Multi A was shortlisted for the British Gas as one of the best UK small companies and in 2001 Vic was awarded an MBE for his work. As always it rests on a team of people as everyone knows but it was ‘good times’.

Vic is really pleased to share some this experience with students to the South West Music School and looks forwards to an exciting year. Rock and Roll (because I’m really that old!).