STORIES IN SUBWAYS
Passers-by were invited to take part in a range of craft activities to create collaborative temporary installations in and around the subway areas of Stourbridge weaving together a welcoming, friendlier and more colourful world.

Using yarn bombed discarded shopping trolleys, pop-up craft sessions were delivered to enable stories to be told and recorded using a number of traditional textile techniques including: weaving, embroidery, applique, crochet, knitting, wrapping, braiding, pom-poms and tassel making.

This project was funded by DMBC and supported by CBC and CoLab Dudley.

ROAMING FLAGS OF BUMBLE HOLE
A series of guided group walks focused on sensory responses to the environs the industrial and natural history of the site. The walks were followed by an on-site flag-making workshop. The flags, made of cotton and coloured with natural dyes made with plants found locally, were produced to represent nature and the waterways .

Words and images for the flags came from participants’ responses to the walk and was followed be a public, musical ceremonial procession to unveil the flag designs and those local responses to Bumble Hole.

Take a look at the video here.

This project was funded by DMBC and supported by CBC and CoLab Dudley.

STORYTELLING ADVENTURE GAME
Young people, aged 8-12 who live in or close to either Lye or Coseley libraries, were invited to take part in multi-layered creative workshops to help bring together an interactive story that would encourage young people to search for hints and clues in the library and develop their skills in storytelling, audio recording, drama and visual arts.

This project was funded by DMBC and supported by CBC and CoLab Dudley.

WALK, DRAW AND MORE: A CELEBRATORY EVENT IN PRIORY PARK

Participants made large scale ‘puppets’ constructed from willow and bamboo with imagery reflecting the stories of the participants (who are newly arrived and from migrant communities) and the flora and fauna of Priory Park.

The group invited people to the Celebratory Event which included a drop in making workshop and a procession in Priory Park accompanied by live music from the Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band.

This project was funded by DMBC and supported by CBC and CoLab Dudley.

THE NETHERTON CREATIVE MAP
Responses from walks along the canal and green spaces over the Summer were brought together and housed in an interactive digital archive: an online, interactive map of the area that utilises participant’s artworks as well as video footage and poetry created by the two lead artists. 

The map celebrates local green spaces, served as a digital time capsule for the district’s creativity, and support the people of Netherton to creatively imagine the region’s future.

You can see a film of the project here and see the interactive map here.

This project was funded by DMBC and supported by CBC and CoLab Dudley.

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF GLASS AT RIVERSIDE HOUSE
Glass and ceramic artists ran engaging, inclusive, and participatory workshops focusing on the rich wildlife in and around the site of Riverside House which is nestled between the River Stour and the Stourbridge Canal.

The pieces have been added to the rotunda spaces on the site and are worth a visit.

This project was funded by DMBC and supported by CBC and CoLab Dudley.

A BOTTLE OF DUDLEY LEGACY
A Bottle of Dudley Legacy engaged with young people and families to help the Canal and Tunnel Trust produce a public art installation comprising of 60 bottles (to correspond with their 60th anniversary), removed from the local canal, which once cleaned and sealed, were filled with a personal statement about what locals love or would protect in Dudley.

The installation was installed in the tunnels during the Autumn of 2022.

This project was funded by DMBC and supported by CBC and CoLab Dudley.

THIS IS OUR HOME
Through a series of workshops with community groups a co-create zine has been produced that showcases a collection of stories and poetry, written by local people, based on the areas they live and the memories they have.

Take a look at the digital edition here or listen to the poems being read by project facilitator Katie Holtom.

This project was funded by DMBC and supported by CBC and CoLab Dudley.

‘TO BE FREE’ VISUAL VERNACULAR FILM PROJECT
A workshop allowed people to experience the world of VV and to journey through time with powerful storytelling. Ishtiaq Hussain taught elements of VV, such as facial expressions and body movements at the Ruskin Glass Centre during August. You can see the participants video here.

This project was funded by DMBC and CBC and supported by CoLab Dudley.

PHOTOS ON THE HIGH STREET
Artists David Rowan and Joseph Potts, with the help of Kelly Hadley, took up residency at a space in Halesowen’s Cornbow Centre where they gathered images and stories of the people who live in the town.

The images and stories were brought together as part of an exhibition on the 10th and 11th September in Halesowen’s Cornbow Centre.

Follow the project at https://www.instagram.com/photo_onthehighstreet/

Project commissioned by Dudley Creates for CBC and supported by the Cornbow Centre.

Walsall Water Argonaut
A large-scale floating sculpture came to the area during August. The impressive ‘Walsall Water Argonaut’ was designed with local disabled people who were led by internationally renowned artist Jason Wilsher-Mills. The bright and bold sculpture was set afloat on the Walsall Arboretum Lake before heading to the wharf canal basin in the town centre adjacent to New Art Gallery Walsall.

The piece illustrated the stories of local people and the barriers they face as a result of their disability and has been supported by Arts Council England in collaboration with Walsall Council Healthy Spaces, Canal & River Trust, The New Art Gallery Walsall and presented as Birmingham Festival 2022.

Follow Jason on Twitter here.

ABUNDANCE
Collective Spectra invited audiences to experience Abundance - a play space for all, created as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival. Far from a typical playground, people of all-ages were able to step inside a world rich in colour, flavour, scent and texture where they can move, create, grow and play. Abundance is a collaboration, where artists, growers and makers will work alongside local communities to create a truly magical environment. 

A series of Artist Days took place every Tuesday and was presented by Birmingham 2022 Festival and supported by Creative Black Country, and Your Trust Charity, in partnership with Sandwell West Birmingham NHS Trust.

Find out more here.

TIME TRAVEL TRAM

Creative Black Country supported Surfing Light Beams and Crossover Labs with their immersive ‘Time Travel Tram’ project which will transport passengers back in time with images, videos and poetry. The project was part of the Birmingham Festival 2022.

You can watch the videos here.

Singing in Tunnels
Singing in Tunnels was a site specific art work where participants were able to take part in workshops over the summer with artist Gavin Rogers.

The workshops included improvised music and singing. You can listen to some of the beautiful soundscapes here.

Project commissioned by Dudley Creates for CBC

On a Saturday in July 2022 Dudley High Street burst to life with opportunities for unusual encounters of doing and making. They were all part of Workshop 24’s Radio Public Festival, a free, one day celebration and exploration featuring sound, installations, walks, talks, performances, workshops and transmissions.

Project commissioned by Dudley Creates for CBC and supported by CoLab Dudley.

OUR COMMONWEALTH was a photography and film project celebrating some of the extraordinary people of Sandwell by The Living Memory Project.

The launch included images by photographer Anand Chhabra as well as the premiere screenings of films by Lauren Hatchard and Joseph Potts.

The project has been supported by Creative Black Country.