The ‘F’ Words - Reclaiming our Familiar
Bringing people together to experience a new familiar

During 2021 Creative Black Country worked with people across communities in the Black Country, as well as our partners on projects that emphasised fun and positivity. 

We know that for some of us the future is starting to feel harder to imagine; to see it, hear it or feel it. Issues around loneliness has been exacerbated by COVID-19 and the restrictions on our daily lives so The ‘F’ Words was our way of focussing on fun, fabulous, feel-good activities that look to bring people together.

There is a digital divide across the region and many people have no internet access so our projects will explore more traditional methods that don’t just rely on being connected digitally. We’ll be using post, phone calls, local radio, alongside digital options.

FUN + FABULOUS

We collaborated with our friends at Black Country Touring on their ‘Dial-a-Story’ project to bring live music, storytelling and poetry direct to people’s homes via their phone. Talented artists offered a unique performance to people of all-ages and settings from care homes to blind/visually impaired groups.

Wolverhampton for Everyone hosted a week of creative workshops in the Mander Centre that helped people get creative with fun activities for all-ages across their network of voluntary and community groups.

FUN + FABULOUS for everyone

We worked with Black Country based Deaf Explorer, Deaf creatives and Deaf communities on a series of online creative sessions that included advice on Lockdown looks and Live cooking (which included sessions with the Punk Chef, Scott Garthwaite, famous in the Deaf community for his TV series, Punk Chef on the Road).

FAMILY + FRIENDS

Love letters – was a project with artists Barbara and Marta that helped people design, compile and send love letter kits to separated/isolated families with people in care homes, hospital or just people they are not able to see.

FEELING THE FUTURE

We’ll continue to work with a group of people to find out more about how an ongoing program of activity could help people connect with others, feel part of their local community, make new friends with shared interests so they feel less isolated. How might we reach people who we miss? How might we instil a sense of belonging? And how might we help people participate?

Find out more