MORE TO EXPLORE - micro-commissions exploring and delivering creative ideas in the Black Country.
What is it?
More to Explore supports people in designing and delivering opportunities with communities to experience great creative and cultural experiences in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton. Earlier this year (2024) we put out an open call to invite groups to apply for up to £2,000, to help test out a new creative idea with and in a local community.
We believe there is more to explore in the Black Country and invited creative ideas to explore the following themes within the micro commission.
Home (family, places, neighbourhoods, identity, tradition, celebration, trends)
Environment & Nature (Green spaces, climate action, activism, wellbeing, growing)
Hidden Black Country (unseen and unheard stories and places, reimagine fact or fiction, share secrets)
The themes were broad and open to interpretation. Here are the projects that our panel chose to support.
Walls of Light - Sandwell
Walls of Light is a community-driven initiative in Bearwood, where local artists and residents will collaborate to create murals inspired by themes of belonging, community, and joy. Through workshops and group painting sessions, people of all ages will contribute to these vibrant murals, fostering social connections, pride, and empowerment. The project aims to beautify and revitalize the area, promote positive messages, and strengthen Bearwood’s cultural identity. The entire process will be documented in a short film by local filmmaker Paul Stringer, ensuring the community’s creative achievements are celebrated and preserved. Find out more here.
Participatory Film Making Project - This Is Me - Brierley Hill / Black Country wide
Kate Green Photography is partnering with The Black Country Blokes for a participatory filmmaking project at The Lions Boxing Club. The initiative invites men to openly discuss their mental health experiences on camera, starting with "This is me..." and "This is also me...". The goal is to produce a series of short films that emphasise how common struggles like anxiety and depression can remind viewers that they are not alone. A longer film will compile shared experiences, and club members, including young people, who will be involved in all aspects of the filmmaking process, from planning to production.
Exploring the Black Country: Through the Lens of Film & TV - Walsall
Thespian Arts Theatre C.I.C. aims to engage local communities in creative and cultural activities through the medium of film and television, focusing on themes of Home, Environment & Nature, and Hidden Black Country. The project will offer workshops and create short feature films based on these themes. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in various aspects of film and television production, including scriptwriting, acting, filming, and editing, allowing them to develop their artistic skills and gain confidence in expressing their ideas.
Time to Talk Black Country - Dudley
Saz’s Ceramics & Crafts is launching a project to unite the Black Country community by celebrating ancestral stories. Informal gatherings will be hosted where locals can share their family histories, focusing on their ancestors' lives and contributions to the region. Selected stories will inspire commemorative plate designs, with participants invited to help decorate the plates in the studio. These pieces will be displayed before being gifted to the families. The project encourages socialisation, creativity, and well-being, allowing participants to contribute to meaningful, handcrafted keepsakes that honor their heritage.
Take a Walk in Our Shoes - Dudley
The LGBTQ+ support group at The What? Centre in Dudley is creating a collaborative art piece that reflects their lived experiences. Using textiles and upcycled clothing, members will dress an androgynous mannequin to represent their LGBTQ+ identities, with personalised shoes and written stories highlighting their individuality. The project promotes community engagement by inviting others to share their stories, with further plans to display the art in public spaces. This initiative offers marginalised members a chance to lead a creative project, fostering inclusion and providing a meaningful cultural experience for participants and the wider community. Find out more here.
Empowering Voices: Beginner's Creative Scriptwriting Workshop - Walsall
The Romanian+ Community Centre (West Midlands) CIC is hosting a 10-week scriptwriting workshop in Bloxwich, offering participants the chance to create their own short film scripts. Guided by experienced mentors, attendees will learn scriptwriting basics, from character development to dialogue and scene construction, culminating in a first draft. This workshop aims to empower local voices, fostering community pride and creativity in Bloxwich. The outcome will be a collaborative short film script, enhancing participants' creative confidence and community connections.
Can Yow Remember? - Walsall
Fran Richards and Charis McRoberts are partnering with Forget Me Not Café in Darlaston to pilot ‘Can Yow Remember?’, a creative project for people living with dementia. Over two sessions, participants will share memories through photographs, music, mementos, and crafts, creating a space for self-expression even for those who struggle to communicate verbally. These stories will inspire a unique piece of theatre, performed by a professional actor at the café. Led by experienced creatives, this project aims to preserve and celebrate participants' memories, creating a lasting legacy for the community.
Print Fest Wolverhampton
Artists Jacky Fellows and Lindsay Pritchard are organising a 3-day arts festival, Print Fest Wolverhampton, in November 2024, celebrating regional printmakers. As part of the festival, printmaking workshops will be hosted with three community groups, allowing participants to create prints that will be featured in the exhibition. Each group will work with professional artists, exploring suggested themes and being actively involved in planning and hanging their work. Workshops will be tailored to meet the specific needs of each group, ensuring a meaningful and inclusive experience.
Drumming Choir (Drumming with Dad) - Wolverhampton
WOLVES YOUTH STEP-TO-SUCCESS (WY-STS) is organising a program that includes fathers, mothers, adults, and children, in learning West African drumming. Over 16 weeks, participants will meet twice weekly for sessions exploring the history, construction, and cultural significance of West African drums. The program fosters community building through collaborative drumming, emphasising family unity and cultural awareness. In the second phase, participants will form a drumming choir, performing at local events and festivals, promoting cultural heritage, and building friendships. The Griot-One Project, led by Master Kodjo Mandeng, will facilitate these sessions, ensuring a high-quality experience for all.
The Hidden Hands of Walsall
Artist Tereza Buskova, alongside Tina Francis and Phi Evans, is leading a project that engages women from diverse, often migrant, backgrounds in Walsall through a series of five workshops. These workshops will explore the theme of "home," leading to the creation of a headdress inspired by Tyrolean customs. Participants will use stitching, embroidery, and English rush weaving to collaboratively design and adorn the headdress with symbols reflecting their identities and cultures. The project will culminate in a public procession, celebrating these women's resilience and amplifying their voices.
Creative Nature and Climate Journalling - Dudley
Megan Wakefield is leading a project focused on Creative Nature and Climate Journalling in Dudley. The initiative will engage participants in documenting their thoughts and experiences related to nature and climate through journaling. This project aims to foster a deeper connection with the environment, promote mindfulness, and encourage creative expression.
The Amazing Incredible Frederick William Hackwood of Wednesbury - Walsall
Adrian Johnson will revisit and adapt the works of Black Country writer Frederick William Hackwood of Wednesbury. Adrian plans to adapt, write, and recall Hackwood’s themes and tales through the perspectives of his wife, daughter, and son in a series of four interconnected 60-minute pilot shows. These performances will be created after consulting local history groups, readers' groups, and community members, ensuring that Hackwood’s Black Country enthusiasms and tales are brought to life and shared with a new generation.
How Does Our Garden Grow? - Dudley
Rachel Parker, Sam Hale, and the Walk and Draw Social Prescribing Group in Dudley are leading a communal planting and growing project in the Pavilion Courtyard garden at Priory Park, Dudley. Co-designed and delivered with members of Walk and Draw, the project will include growing, planting, and creative activities. The initiative is aimed at supporting refugees, migrants, and those seeking asylum in Dudley, with public drop-in workshops also available to local park users and the neighborhood community.
45 Books: Songwriting and Self-Expression Workshops for Men - Dudley
Dan Whitehouse is leading a pilot project in Brierley Hill that engages men, especially single fathers, in songwriting workshops focused on building creativity, emotional resilience, and community. The workshops will explore themes of masculinity, separation, home, daily practices, and family identity, encouraging self-expression and support. This series aims to develop participants' creative practices, enhance well-being, and foster a sense of identity and community, with no prior musical knowledge required. Find out more here.
