NQ House, a brand new, multi-purpose music business hub has been launched by award-winning manager, entrepreneur and influential industry leader Michael Adex, who has spoken to Headliner about his plans for the venue.
Following a year-long, extensive renovation project of Openshaw’s former conservative club in Manchester, NQ House opened earlier this month, with Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, joining Adex to cut the ribbon before a 200-strong crowd, including rap superstar Aitch.
Adex is founder and CEO of Manchester-based 360 degree talent and entertainment company, NQ. As manager of the platinum-selling Aitch, he was recently honoured with the MMF’s Entrepreneur Award and is a member of the Ivor Novello Awards panel and BRITS Voting Academy. With NQ House, he will work to support and incubate the next generation of musical talent. The former conservative club on the outskirts of Manchester city centre has been home to a huge redevelopment project, now boasting a state-of-the-art creative hub, recording and content studios, a media lounge, co-working and podcast spaces, private members area as well as the NQ HQ. It will also host writing camps, recording sessions and self-contained recording and living spaces for visiting musicians travelling through the city.
Here, Adex tells Headliner about the decision to launch the new venture and the vast opportunities it will open up for the industry…
Tell us about the origins of NQ House?
I’ve always had the dream to have my own creative hub and office space for all my adventures and endeavours. It has always been something close to what I’ve wanted to achieve and to have a place where it is the epicentre of all of our operations... it is something incredible to have achieved and see happen.
How did you go about transforming this former Conservative Club into a new hub for music creatives?
It wasn’t specifically because it was a Conservative Club, but the previous owner of the space, after it was a Conservative Club, was a producer and owned a music studio. He had it 15 years and I then took over it. Three years prior to me buying this place I actually used his space for a music video, so I already had some history with the building, which was one of the big reasons I wanted to buy the space.