News

Get to Springfield this half-term for family fun

Children can take part in free creative activities at the Springfield Centre, Sparkhill this half-term.

Get down there to make, play and be inspired at the Creative Families Festival. There will be artists, performances and workshops for you and your children aged between 0 and 11-years to explore your creativity and enjoy together.

The fun will be happening on Tuesday 31 October and Wednesday 1 November, 10am-3pm at The Springfield Centre, Springfield Road, Moseley, Birmingham, B13 9NY.

Get your FREE TICKET from reception. Call them on 0121 777 2722 or email info@springfieldproject.org.uk with any questions

Missing a swim? Missing books? Come to the Exchange in Balsall Heath

What: The Exchange Festival – a free two-day event for everyone who loves Balsall Heath

When: Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 November

Where: Moseley Community Hub, Schools of Art, Balsall Heath

Why: Because Balsall Heath Library is closed and won’t re-open until 2025. This will give you the opportunity to reimagine the Library, connect, and actively participate in making sure the Library is the place you want it to be.

Yes, but what will I actually be doing??? Comedy, family activities, watch films, take part in Sufi poetry discussions, make felt bookmarks, learn about Urdu typography and much, much more. See the Exchange Festival programme.

Exchange Festival is part of the Diving In project, made possible through the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This project has given Moseley Road Baths the creative space to explore how both the Balsall Heath Library and Moseley Road Baths can continue to serve the needs of local people.

Art is there every morning – reflections from Art Works Hall Green AGM

Art is there every morning, a passport to unknown places, feel good and relaxing therapy leaving you feeling accomplished and liberated…

Art is there every morning, a passport to unknown places, feel good and relaxing therapy leaving you feeling accomplished and liberated…

Those were some of the things written by participants at the annual general meeting of Art Works Hall Green, held in Highfield Hall on Friday 21 July.

Together we wrote a poem about what art means to us

Art is

There every morning

A passport to unknown places

A feel good and relaxing therapy leaving you feeling accomplished and liberated

Art is an innate expression of one’s true self

A passport to unknown places

Art expresses meaning, gives meaning

An innate expression of one’s true self

A liberation of the senses

A feel good and relaxing therapy leaving you feeling accomplished and liberated

Soul to soul

A liberation of the senses

Art expresses meaning, gives meaning

Soul to soul

There every morning

We also looked at how we can support artists in pursuing meaningful creative careers and how we can make our neighbourhoods viable places to make art.

At the next Art Works Hall Green steering group, we will explore how to turn the numerous excellent ideas into our strategy for the coming years.

Watch this space.

16 September 2023: acrylic landscape painting workshop

Acrylic landscape painting workshop with Julia Borodina from the Sky Arts Landscape Artist series.

Julia Borodina, as seen in Sky Arts Landscape Artist series 7, will be doing an acrylic landscape painting workshop.

  • Saturday 16th September
  • 10.30am to 4pm
  • Chatterton Hall, Church of the Ascension, School Road, Birmingham B28 8JQ
  • Cost – £35

To book and to pay, please contact vicmartalben@blueyonder.co.uk. Details of what you need to bring, will be provided.

Pheeb Robinson

I’m a freelance illustrator and mural artist. I specialise in creating large-scale illustrations and murals that can transform blank walls into captivating visual narratives.

I’m a freelance illustrator and mural artist. I specialise in creating large-scale illustrations and murals that can transform blank walls into captivating visual narratives. Whether it’s a public space, office, or residential area, I have a passion for designing and executing murals that feature bright colours, bold shapes and playful characters.

Visit my websitePheeb

Contact: pheebrobinson@gmail.com

21 July 2023: Art Works gathering and AGM

Event where we imagine together how we can nurture the arts within Balsall Heath, Moseley, Kings Heath, Sparkbrook, Springfield, Sparkhill and Hall Green.

Artists, makers, community convenors and those interested in the power of making art are invited to a space where we can share our work and what we would like to happen in the coming years.

The workshop and pot-luck lunch will be at Highfield Hall Community Centre, 127, 129 Highfield Rd, Hall Green, Birmingham B28 0HS on Friday 21 July from 10am to 1pm.

Who we are

Art Works Hall Green connects artists, community groups and people who are passionate about the arts across the Hall Green Constituency. We want to see our neighbourhoods of Hall Green, Sparkbrook, Springfield, Balsall Heath, Moseley and Kings Heath thriving with creativity. We are made up of a voluntary steering group and a part-time coordinator, funded by Birmingham City Council.

Event agenda

  • Introduction to Art Works plus AGM (less than 20 minutes)
  • Making some art
  • Imagining future arts activities together
  • Sharing a pot-luck lunch

Questions we will be asking

  • How might we make our neighbourhoods viable places to make and create art?
  • How might we engage more people in community arts and making?
  • How might we ensure that local artists can pursue meaningful creative careers?
  • What do we want from this community and what can we give?

What to bring

  • Yourself, just as you are
  • Some food to be shared, if you would like to stay for lunch

Lever Arts

Lever Arts is a small organisation run by Gillian and Jake Lever in South Birmingham – a city they love for its heart, soul and super-diversity.

Lever Arts is a small organisation run by Gillian and Jake Lever in South Birmingham – a city they love for its heart, soul and super-diversity. Gillian is an artist who makes abstract paintings; Jake’s practice spans drawing, painting, printmaking and installation. As well as working to commission and creating exhibitions they devise participatory experiences in the areas of health, education and spirituality. They believe that art can offer a resource for centered living in a frantic and fractured world.

Visit our website: Lever Arts

Contact: glever@btinternet.com

Pathcarvers

Pathcarvers uses craft to help with mental and physical health and for positive social change.

Pathcarvers uses craft to help with mental and physical health and for positive social change.

We are based at The Old Print Works, 498 – 506 Moseley Road, Balsall Heath, B12 9AH.

Visit our website: Pathcarvers

Contact: info@pathcarvers.co.uk

The Old Print Works

The Old Print Works is a diverse and welcoming community in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, that believes in the transformative power of making and creativity. 

The Old Print Works is a diverse and welcoming community in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, that believes in the transformative power of making and creativity. 

It’s at 498 – 506 Moseley Road, Balsall Heath, B12 9AH.

Visit our website: The Old Print Works

Contact: info@oldprintworks.org or call 07410 442334

Sundragon Community Pottery

Sundragon Community Pottery offers classes for beginners and improvers in all pottery techniques.

Sundragon Community Pottery offers classes for beginners and improvers in all pottery techniques. We offer membership of our pottery studio, for those with enough experience to make under their own steam.

We are based at The Old Print Works and Moseley School of Art, Balsall Heath, B12 9AH.

Visit our website: Sundragon Community Pottery

Contact: Becky Belcher at becky@sundragonpottery.co.uk or on 07590 402633

Kinmos makes blossom with Art Works Hall Green

What does mental health look like? “There is no way that it looks in particular,” says Leah Anderson, volunteer coordinator with Kinmos. In July 2022, it looked like people making blossom in the sunshine and sticking it to a giant heart in Kings Heath Village Square.

Kinmos is a charity, based in Kings Heath, Birmingham, for people with lived experience of mental health. During the summer it worked with its members to create handmade blossoms. This process, which had been enjoyed by all, was then shared in the square with singing and face-painting too.

The event was part of the 10-11 project, in which a bus travelled the number 11 bus routes, stopping off at events hosted by each of Birmingham’s ten local arts forums.

Art Works Hall Green is one of those ten forums, which connects artists, community groups and people who are passionate about the arts in neighbourhoods of Hall Green, Sparkbrook, Springfield, Sparkhill, Balsall Heath, Moseley and Kings Heath.

Paid development opportunity for young people at Moseley Road Baths

Moseley Road Baths is looking for six young people to work with them on a steering group, for which they will be paid £200 per day.

Are you: 

  • Aged 18-30
  • Local to Balsall Heath (within a 15 minute radius on bus, bike or foot)
  • Have a desire to discover and tell the stories of Balsall Heath and Moseley Road Baths
  • Eager to build a network in Birmingham
  • Curious!

Then the Young Curators Steering Group Opportunity could be for you.

What is the Young Curators Steering Group?

It’s a paid opportunity for six young people aged 18-30 in Balsall Heath to form a Steering Group. As part of the Steering Group, you will have the chance to discover new and/or respond to already collected stories related to the Baths and Balsall Heath. With support from a mix of our staff team and experts from our wider network you will be provided with the skills, resources and agency to decide how you want to explore each story with your chosen audiences and communities. 

The aim is to ensure that young people are represented and feel ownership of Moseley Road Baths’ and their own future by exploring the past and present.

This is a 6-month commitment in which participants will be paid £1200 for 6 days of work (approx 1 day per month). The group will decide when they work, including when they have skill-based sessions. 

Find out more: Young Curators of Moseley Road Baths

We blossomed with Kinmos and the National Trust in Kings Heath Park

Art Works Hall Green and Kinmos came together with the National Trust to host a Blossom Picnic in Kings Heath Park in April.

We were celebrating the planting of blossom trees in Kings Heath Park, as part of the National Trust’s blossom project. The National Trust has been working with communities along the number 11 bus route to create a ring of blossom around the city.

In January, ten cherry blossom trees were planted in the park, as part of the project, with the help of Friends of Kings Heath Park.

Kinmos, which works with people with lived experience of mental health, had previously taken part by creating a beautiful blossom heart that was hung on a tree.

At the Blossom Picnic, around 60 people came together to celebrate with face-painting and mask-making with artists Rachael Hawkins, Mitch Schofield and Claudeine Turner-Schofield.  There was drumming with Damon Wilding.  Dennis the Menace and Captain America were there too…

9 May 2023: Spread your Wings – wellbeing course for young women

Spread your wings

Spread your Wings is a creativity and wellbeing drama project for young women aged 18-25 with mental health support needs.

Participants will work over seven sessions, starting on Tuesday 9 May, to create characters and a story using lots of creative processes including fabric printing with natural dyes, and designing costume jewellery to represent their character. Jewellery making will be led by acclaimed artist, Farwa Moledina.

They will then record a short video portrait each, in character and wearing their item of costume, and these will fit together to tell a story. Our eight session will be a sharing of the videos and artwork.

Participants will also have the opportunity to complete a Discovery Level Arts Award as part of the project.

The sessions will be held on Mondays at the EcoPark, Hob Moor Road, Small Heath – a beautiful, natural setting.

Our approach

We will be using Systemic Constellations, an individual and group therapy technique to create a safe space and gently connect with our participants, and this approach will underpin the whole project. Our lead facilitator, Maria Pattinson, is a theatre director as well as a qualified and experienced Systemic Constellations practitioner.

Who we are

Spread your Wings is delivered by Mimar Collective CIC in partnership with the Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (BSNHSMHFT) at EcoPark Small Heath.

Mimar Collective CIC is a community arts organisation serving diverse audiences in inner city Birmingham through an integrated arts and wellbeing approach.

The BSMHNHSFT will manage the registration process. It is asking for referrals of young people who will most benefit from this programme.

Further information

If you know of a young woman who could benefit from this programme, call 07985 883324 or email claireterrington@nhs.net.

Blossom picnic in the park

We’re teaming up with Kinmos, The National Trust and our wider Local Arts Forum family as ‘Number 11 Arts’ to host a picnic in Kings Heath Park this April.

We’re teaming up with Kinmos, The National Trust and our wider Local Arts Forum family as ‘Number 11 Arts’ to host a picnic in Kings Heath Park this April.

Pack a picnic and join us for drumming, crafting, facepainting and family fun.  We’re crossing everything that the blossom will be out and the sun will be shining!  Look out for the gazebo!

Saturday 15th April
11:00am-1:00pm
Kings Heath Park

The GAP Arts Project – Development & Operations Manager

We’re looking to fill this linchpin role, to work alongside The GAP team on the exciting developments ahead as a new NPO.

We’re looking to fill this linchpin role, to work alongside The GAP team on the exciting developments ahead as a new NPO.

Working as a senior member of the team, you’ll be helping to steer the organisation through a crucial period of growth and transition. You will be a successful fundraiser, a strategic thinker, a passionate enabler and a highly organised operations manager, supporting our creative team to deliver high-quality projects and arts programming for marginalised young people. Applications close 3 April.

Secret City Arts – Making micro-films

Secret City Arts is seeking a creative individual with an interest in using social media creatively to share content  from our new project Well Being Brew! 

Secret City Arts is seeking a creative individual with an interest in using social media creatively to share content  from our new project Well Being Brew! 

 Your task will be to capture moments and snippets from a series of participatory workshops creating micro films/reels (each around 1 minute long) to communicate and share via Instagram and other social media platforms.  These micro films will widen the reach of the project, communicating its processes and outcomes.

You’ll need to attend six half-day workshops with adult participants, where we will be sharing storytelling activities, brewing teas from different herbal materials, doing creative journalling and other activities for wellbeing, indoors and outdoors. 

Workshops will be held mostly afternoons 2-4pm April-July in and around Balsall Heath, Birmingham B12. 

Specific dates will be 
Mon 24th April 2-4pm
and Mon 10th July 2-4pm

plus four other dates tbc from this list: 
Tues 25th April
Tues 9th May
Mon 15th May
Mon 22nd May
Tues 23rd May
Mon 12 June
Mon 19th June
Mon 26th June
Mon 3rd July

You will use a phone, talblet or camera to document activities, offering a close focus, and capturing an informal sense of immediacy in the moment.  

You will need to work sensitively with participants who may not wish to be identified in the films (ie showing hands, materials etc, rather than faces etc).

There may be opportunities to encourage participants to use their phones to create their own micro-films too, sharing skills and building confidence. 

Your work will be shared via Instagram and other social media, and will be credited within the project’s details, and your micro-films will contribute to the overall project outcome.

This is a supporting artist role so the fee for attending 6x 2hour workshops and creating a series of micro-films/reels is £300. 

Please email your brief CV or statement about why you would be suitable for the role and a sample of short digital films or social media postings you have created, to give us a sense of your work. 

Deadline for applications is 12pm Wednesday 5th April.

Interviews will be held on Monday 17th April via Zoom. 

Job Vacancies at The GAP!

The GAP Arts Project are in an exciting new phase of their work and are looking to build their team! Read on for information about two exciting job opportunities and to download their Job Packs.

The GAP Arts Project are in an exciting new phase of their work and are looking to build their team! Read on for information about two exciting job opportunities and to download their Job Packs.

The GAP Arts Project – Development & Operations Manager

We’re looking to fill this linchpin role, to work alongside The GAP team on the exciting developments ahead as a new NPO. Working as a senior member of the team, you’ll be helping to steer the organisation through a crucial period of growth and transition. You will be a successful fundraiser, a strategic thinker, a passionate enabler and a highly organised operations manager, supporting our creative team to deliver high quality projects and arts programming for marginalised young people.

For more details please see Development & Operations Manager Job Pack available at https://www.thegapartsproject.co.uk/werehiring

The GAP Arts Project – Community Café Manager 

The GAP has an exciting opening for someone with imagination and a joint passion for catering and community. Our Community Café Manager is a key role in our organisation, being the primary interface with local people in our day-to-day operations. You will offer excellent coffee, food and service to all visitors to the venue, work with the rest of The GAP team to create a welcoming, inclusive space, and take an innovative approach to developing a café service that aligns with our arts programming and mission.

For more details please see Community Cafe Manager Job Pack available at https://www.thegapartsproject.co.uk/werehiring

Art Works is recruiting a new Coordinator!

Art Works Hall Green is looking for a ‘people person’ with experience in the arts or community sectors and knowledge of the Hall Green constituency, to coordinate our network and drive its work supporting grassroots participation in arts and culture.

Art Works Hall Green is looking for a ‘people person’ with experience in the arts or community sectors and knowledge of the Hall Green constituency, to coordinate our network and drive its work supporting grassroots participation in arts and culture.

You will have the capacity, drive and curiosity to co-ordinate the Local Arts Forum from Spring 2023.  You will join an evolving organisation, constantly learning to practice and advocate for participatory, community arts.

Fee: A fixed fee of £6,000 per annum, equating to 40 days at £150 per day, to be worked flexibly.  You will be required to pay your own National Insurance and tax contributions (where applicable) and provide your own computer and telephone.  This fee is inclusive of expenses and travel unless otherwise agreed.


Person Specification

This is a freelance role which could complement any existing work or study in the arts, culture or community sector.  The Steering Group seeks to work with the Co-ordinator to fulfil our contract with Birmingham City Council with a flexible and creative approach, enabling the successful candidate to make the role their own.  We encourage a conversation with the successful candidate as to how we may support their professional development through mentoring and training opportunities.

We encourage applications from anyone looking to develop key skills or pursue projects which fall within our remit.  We are not looking for specific degrees or years of formal experience but for people with a commitment to taking ownership of the role and to their own professional development.  We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and intersectional team to reflect the vision we have for our sector. We therefore strongly encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in the sector.  This contract also demands a degree of flexibility and would include some evening and weekend work.

We are looking for an individual who has:

  • Experience within or good understanding of the arts, cultural, heritage sectors and / or community sectors in Birmingham.
  • A ‘people person’, interested in the stories, history and talents of Hall Green residents.
  • Good, demonstrable knowledge of the area and its communities is of real benefit.
  • Competence in the listed roles and tasks (see below), with a willingness to ask for help and identify areas for learning and development.

About Art Works

Birmingham’s arts forum network consists of ten individual local arts forums aligned to Birmingham’s ten parliamentary constituencies.  The Local Arts Forum (LAF) model was developed as a flexible network, under the umbrella of ‘No. 11 Arts’ for advocating for the arts at a District level.  Art Works Hall Green aims to develop local arts infrastructure through partnerships within Hall Green Constituency in the areas of Sparkhill, Balsall Heath, Kings Heath & Moseley, Hall Green, Springfield and Sparkbrook.

Our Aims 

  • To create and/or work with other local networks spanning arts and cultural organisations, artists and residents, and the voluntary, youth and community sectors 
  • Increase opportunities for local participation and engagement in arts activities and to lever in additional funding to support such activities.
  • Raise the profile of arts activities taking place in the Constituency of Hall Green, especially in areas where there is lack of participation or opportunity for participation.
  • Provide opportunities for the cultural voice of residents to be valued, enabled, developed and shared, actively seeking to understand and overcome barriers to engagement.
  • to maintain an overview of arts activities, events, opportunities in the Constituency of Hall Green.

Role and Tasks 

The successful candidate will work with the Art Works Steering Group to fulfil our contract with Birmingham City Council.  The roles and tasks will be developed in collaboration with the Steering Group, depending on your skills, experience, competences, and interests, but they broadly include:

Project Co-ordination

  • Work with local partners and the Steering Group to develop and commission arts activity across the district, relevant to diverse audiences and participants.
  • Project development, oversight and management
  • Commissioning Artists, including contract negotiation, monitoring and oversight
  • Manage relationships with artists, venues and organisations to deliver activity.
  • Development of engagement and network activities with artists, arts organisations, community groups and local residents.
  • Collect evidence and impact of participant engagement including numbers and feedback in order to evaluate activities effectively.
  • Develop appropriate databases and directories

Marketing: 

  • Promote and advocate for Art Works Hall Green, and its objectives, residents, organisations, partners and community groups 
  • Manage and update Art Works’ social media presence and digital footprint, currently Facebook and Instagram. Widen and increase digital / social media presence as appropriate and sustainable.
  • Produce a monthly Mailchimp newsletter, building circulation and encouraging others to contribute, acknowledging the diversity of the Art Works demographic area.
  • Where relevant and when required, manage the design, printing and distribution of marketing banners or brochures.

Fundraising and Finance: 

  • Work with the Steering Group to identify sources of funding 
  • Collaborate with partners to develop project activity plans and funding applications.
  • Develop relationships with local organisations in order to get sponsorship and in-kind support for arts activity.
  • Where relevant, collate evidence and report on activity for funders.
  • Work with the relevant Steering Group member to monitor / manage project budgets, keeping accurate financial records for funders and partners.

Reporting: 

  • To support the Steering Group in reporting to Birmingham City Council on the Local Arts Forum contract.
  • To be line managed by a nominated member of the Steering Group. 
  • To report to Art Works Hall Green Steering Group as and when required. 

Application

Applicants are invited to send:

  • a CV (max 2 pages A4) outlining the experience and skills that they consider relevant to our work.  
  • a one page A4 document or five minute video or audio message outlining your motivation to join the Art Works team and how you can use your existing skills to contribute to our work.

We appreciate that accessing paid roles can be a challenge for many different reasons.  We invite applicants, if they feel it is appropriate to do so, to share information around access needs, potential working hours or any other terms and conditions which they wish to discuss at this stage in addition to their application.  This will not negatively impact your application, but will enable us to make reasonable adjustments for this role.

Are you interested to find out what working with us could look like? Contact Rachel Gillies on hello@artworkshallgreen.co.uk for an informal conversation.

Send your CV (max 2 pages A4) and cover letter (max 1 page A4) or video / audio message (max 5 mins) to: hello@artworkshallgreen.co.uk.

Closing date: Friday 17th February, 5pm

Interviews: We intend to hold informal meetings with suitable applicants w/c 6th March.

The contract is due to commence as soon as possible after that.

The above information is also available in a downloadable PDF.