Black Country Stories – a new podcast

Black Country Touring has created a new podcast called Black Country Stories. As the title suggests the podcast is inspired by the people, stories and places of the Black Country made in collaboration with award-winning artists from the region. The current season includes Voices of the Fairground, a three-part series about the travelling fairground; single story episode Tattoo Stories, about the reasons why people get names tattooed on them; and a five-part mini-series A Word in Your Ear, artists in conversation with poet and BBC broadcaster Ian McMillan including 8 new compelling
works inspired by Lockdown conversations. There’s an eclectic mix of content and the plan is to grow it further profiling the Black Country through original and exciting new voices. You can listen to it wherever you listen to podcasts or https://anchor.fm/black-country-stories

January – May at The New Art Gallery Walsall

The NAG Walsall has a fun-filled programme of family workshops and community events including its Community Art and Craft Day and A Day of Stories, and cultural celebrations including Vaisakhi, Holi Hai and Eid-ul-Fitr.
Please follow the below link to find out more.
https://thenewartgallerywalsall.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Families-January-May-2022- Lleaflet.pdf

Sampad & National Memorial Arboretum – Artist Callout for an artist from a South Asian background to create an artwork to inspire Remembrance and learning about Commonwealth communities, with a particular focus on South Asian communities. One commission of £10,000. Apply by 20th February.

Drake Music – Emergent Bursaries for early-career Disabled musicians for Asian, Black and Minority Ethnic artists who are at the start of their creative path. Three bursaries available, two for music of any genre and one specifically for a DJ. Apply by 21st February.

OFFSITE9 is GO!

Creative Black Country is very excited that Offsite9, its project taking place alongside British Art Show 9 in Wolverhampton, has got off to a brilliant start with creativity bursting out of every corner of the city centre.

Explore Offfsite9 with IF WE HAD THIS SPACE
Go on a sound trail of Wolverhampton city centre, find the QR codes and dive into soundscapes, poetry, music and spoken word pieces that will inspire you to think about what you could be with empty and disused spaces in the city centre.
Nine creatives have been commissioned by Asylum Art Gallery to respond to nine locations around the city that once stood as pillars of the community, spaces of healing, of community spirit. They now stand derelict.
Use the digital map on the Overhear app to follow the trail, collect and bring to life their history again. Each site also allows for visitors to write their thoughts on how they would use the space if they had access to it.
Read more about the project, where the spaces are and the artists involved here.

Grab a physical copy of the Offsite9 brochure when you are in Wolverhampton or find a digital copy at https://issuu.com/creativeblackcountry/docs/offsite9publication

Missing Audiences Research – Wave Two

In November 2021, Indigo released the results of the first wave of Missing Audiences research (a follow up to the Culture Restart Tracker).
After the last couple of months of Omicron, changing restrictions and rising case numbers, now is the time to check back in with audiences and find out how they’re feeling currently about cultural events and venues.
With their Insights Alliance partners Baker Richards and One Further, Indigo have now launched the second wave of Missing Audiences research, which will run until 20th February. You can send it out any time within that period.
The Missing Audiences survey is designed to help cultural organisations to:

• work out why some previously frequent attenders have not yet returned
• find out how those who have attended are feeling about reattending
• measure confidence levels and appetite for safety measures
• reassure audiences and visitors, and facilitate open conversation
• give you the information needed to create impactful and targeted re-attendance campaigns and keep audiences at the heart of future plans.

The survey is FREE to use for organisations in the UK. You’ll have instant access to results and contribute to a national benchmark for the benefit of the sector. Find out more and register>