1998: THE FIRST SQUIDZ CLUB!

Photographer: Patrick Baldwin

We are looking back at each of Heart n Soul’s 30 years as we count down to our Big 30 Summer Takeover. We just brought you 1998, BUT so much happened that year that we have more to tell you…

This was the year of our first Squidz Club and the first time we hosted an event specifically aimed at 10-25 year olds. It took place on a Thursday at The Albany. Large groups came from schools and parents brought their children and their children’s friends to be part of a safe club night environment.

It was a great opportunity for our performance companies Dizzy Hearts, Positive Hearts and Heart n Soul Youth, also established that year, to share their work with young people. We had also started attracting DJs from other parts of London to play. On the left you can see our Squidz guest stars, The Westminster Crew, made up of Louis, Richard and Richmond. The DJ crew were based on the other side of London at the Paddington Arts Centre and usually played at the Milkshake Disco club night.

A new club culture within disability culture was emerging, capturing people’s attention and powering more and more club nights. See our clubs network for the nights that you can now get involved in, inspired by our Beautiful Octopus Club!

The Squidz Club is still going strong and our next one is just around the corner on Friday 16 June, so see you there! You can get your tickets on The Albany website here.