Creative Writing!

Are you writing a short story, or novel, or memoir?

Are you writing a short story, or novel, or memoir?

I am a critically acclaimed author who lived in Balsall Heath for many years, and has written about the area extensively. I have taught as a Visiting Lecturer and for The Arvon Foundation and The Literary Consultancy. I’m offering manuscript assessment and tuition in Creative Writing that can be delivered in-person or online. Prices are negotiable; please drop me a line, and let’s start working together!

More info at https://www.charliehill.org.uk/teaching or e-mail charlie.hill@hushmail.com.

Andy Cheffings

I am a community musician and writer. I’m also part of Brum LGBTQ+ Writers.

Most recently I ran the Buddhist Choir in Malvern and I also did an impromptu inter-faith choir for one of the COP demonstrations in Birmingham City Centre during the period of Covid lockdowns (I did this under the Footsteps umbrella – Faiths for a Low Carbon Future – part of Birmingham Council of Faiths).

My musical specialism is inclusion and when I lived in Leicester I took part in, led and organised a number of inclusive performances, particularly at the Richard Attenborough Centre. My musical creed is that everyone has a musical voice worth hearing, so when I work towards a performance I do a lot of workshopping around improvisation and composition, so that everyone has a creative voice in the final piece.

Contact me: archeffings@gmail.com or 0121 459 2989

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

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

Saba Anwar

I have been an artist in some form for over fifteen years. I work with watercolours and oils. At the moment I am working on creating Islamic geometry compositions.

I have been an artist in some form for over fifteen years. I work with watercolours and oils. At the moment I am working on creating Islamic geometry compositions.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Purplemintsartbysaba/

E-mail: sabaanwar341@gmail.com

Image is an example of the watercolour paintings I create through Islamic geometric patterns.

Monica Perez Vega

Monica Perez Vega is an artist-curator and educator whose work explores ideas of uncertainty and adaptation.

Monica Perez Vega is an artist-curator and educator whose work explores ideas of uncertainty and adaptation.

She is originally from California, but has lived in Montreal, Amsterdam, London and currently Birmingham, UK. Her experiences of continually starting over have led to a process which investigates cycles of change.

Monica has an MFA in painting from the Slade School of Fine Art and a BFA in painting and drawing from the California College of the Arts. In 2016, she co-founded Hiraeth Magazine and Podcast and in 2020, she founded Small Works Art Gallery. Recent exhibitions include Beep Painting Biennial 2022 in Swansea/ Weary Harold at ASC Gallery in London 2022/ Wild Grapes at Unit 3 Project Space, London 2021/ ArtWorks Open 2020 at Barbican Arts Group Trust in London/ RBSA Prize Exhibition 2020 in Birmingham/ ‘To the Trees,’ solo exhibition at SUPA Gallery, Birmingham (Online).

Monica has experience teaching art to all ages. She taught IB Visual Art and Design for five years at the International School of Hilversum, Netherlands. She taught art and design at Tudor Grange Academy Kingshurst. As an associate artist for Ikon Gallery, she led an after school art club with students at the Small Heath Leadership Academy in response to the Hew Locke commission. she also led Ikon’s first virtual Family Saturday Art Workshop during lockdown and facilitated an in-person outdoor workshop for adults. Additionally, in 2021, she was guest artist/ workshop leader for the Gallery 37 artist residency with Punch Records at Centrala Gallery in Birmingham.

Website: www.monicaperezvega.com

Instagram: @monicaperezvega

Address: The Old Print Works, Balsall Heath

E-mail address: info@monicaperezvega.com

Sophia Moffa

Sophia Moffa’s practice is focused on the connections between the plant kingdom and society, commenting on contemporary issues of privilege and inequalities within society.

Sophia Moffa’s practice is focused on the connections between the plant kingdom and society, commenting on contemporary issues of privilege and inequalities within society.

She uses natural found materials which she sources within the urban green spaces, creating works that often transforms in parallel with the seasons in the city where she lives. Her work is influenced by the belief that we live in an oversaturated environment, which clouds and persistently feeds the mind. Due to this, her works are cyclical, temporary, and sustainable.

Moffa often works collaboratively with artists across different countries to build on a more collaborative art world and practice. This year she also set up “the travellers’ tree” a CIC which runs art workshops in nature for asylum seekers living in hostels across the West Midlands. Merging art, physical activities, and nature together to enable refugees to have a safe space to express themselves. She has run workshops for the Canal & River Trust, Super Slow Ways, Amal and the New Art Gallery Walsall.

Website: www.sophiamoffa.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/s_moffa

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiamoffa/

E-mail: moffasophia@gmail.com

The Travellers’ Tree

A community interest group bringing art, cycling and nature together for asylum seekers in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

A community interest group bringing art, cycling and nature together for asylum seekers in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

Website: sophiamoffa.com/the-travellers-tree

Twitter: https://twitter.com/travellers_cic

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_travellers_tree/

E-mail: travellerstree.cic@gmail.com

Darkroom Birmingham

Analogue photography facilities and project space. Since 2012 we’ve been running photography courses, offering use of darkroom facilities, putting on exhibitions and delivering projects.

Analogue photography facilities and project space. Since 2012 we’ve been running photography courses, offering use of darkroom facilities, putting on exhibitions and delivering projects.

Website: www.darkroombirmingham.co.uk

Twitter: @darkroombirming

Instagram: @darkroombirmingham

Facebook: @darkroommbirmingham

Address: The Old Print Works, 506-8 Moseley Road, Balsall Heath, B12 9AH

E-mail: info@darkroombirmingham.co.uk

Phone: 07779 159 217

Sonal’s Art

I am an artist, mainly working in acrylics, watercolor, oil paints, resin, alcohol ink.

I am an artist, mainly working in acrylics, watercolour, oil paints, resin, alcohol ink.

I take online kids art classes, half term painting workshops in Cartland Tea Room, Kings Heath and Creative Coffee Hub on Raddlebarn Road. I have participated in Birmingham Open Studios and various art fairs.

Contact: Sonal Gajbe

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonalgajbe/

E-mail: sonaldewle@gmail.com

Phone: 07954 144 734

Sharonjit Sutton

I am a Birmingham based multi-disciplinary artist and graphic designer who is interested in exploring the communal benefits of art, craft and design.

I am a Birmingham based multi-disciplinary artist and graphic designer who is interested in exploring the communal benefits of art, craft and design. A large part of my creative practice over the past two years has been working on educational, heritage, arts and community projects in the West Midlands, where marginalised communities benefit from the outcomes – such as having a platform to share their stories and/or access creative outlets that are not usually accessible to them.

Website: www.designsloading.co.uk

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ideasloading/

E-mail address: sutton0sharon@gmail.com

Stage2 Youth Theatre

Stage2 is a Youth Theatre and Childrens’ Charity, with an over 30 year history and reputation for high quality shows, workshops and work experience.

Stage2 is a Youth Theatre and Childrens’ Charity, with an over 30 year history and reputation for high quality shows, workshops and work experience.

Website: www.stage2.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Stage2YT

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stage2yt/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stage2YT

E-mail: rosa.simonet@stage2.org

General Public

General Public is the collaborative platform of artists Elizabeth Rowe and Chris Poolman. Broadly speaking, they devise large scale public art projects that incorporate elements of fiction, myth-making, local history re-invention and heritage rebooting.

General Public is the collaborative platform of artists Elizabeth Rowe and Chris Poolman. Broadly speaking, they devise large scale public art projects that incorporate elements of fiction, myth-making, local history re-invention and heritage rebooting.

Often this process involves re-working or inverting an established model or institutional structure. Their approach is interdisciplinary and collaborative: they produce artworks (writing, film, print), devise collaborative frameworks, organise events, curate / commission other artists.

Previous projects have included:

  • a re-interpretation of the biennale concept in inner-city Birmingham (Balsall Heath Biennale 2011 – 2013),
  • a science fiction themed light festival exploring the politics of regeneration (Longbridge Light Festival, 2014),
  • a community competition resulting in 4000 new coins for an inner city area of Birmingham (Handsworth Currency Competition 2014 -15)
  • an 18-month strategic touring exhibition that uses the migratory movements of hop-pickers as the conceptual basis for a tour (The Hop Project 2016-17).
  • In 2017/18, they conceived & produced The Endless Village, an apocalyptic sitcom that investigates life in an imagined post-Brexit Britain of the future. This was presented as exhibitions at Eastside Projects and Aspex Portsmouth.
  • Over the 2018 summer holidays they delivered the ‘Heathland Festival, a ‘children’s festival of ideas’ that occurred at Birmingham Community libraries.
  • During 2019/20, they were artists in residence at the University of Birmingham where they developed ‘The Pomology Project’ (a reimagining of British orchard traditions in an urban context).
  • Their current project Let Us Play explores the history of the Adventure Playground movement in Birmingham. The oral histories and archive material generated through the project will be presented in 2021 as part of a series of exhibitions, events and a publication.

Website: www.generalpublic.org.uk

Address: 69 Station Road, Kings Heath, B14 7SS

E-mail: generalpublicprojects@gmail.com

Phone: 07769 530 557

Maddalena Women’s Crafting Project

A women only, crafting safe space. We teach knitting, crochet and sewing with the view to empowering women through skill sharing and breaking down social barriers.

A women only, crafting safe space. We teach knitting, crochet and sewing with the view to empowering women through skill sharing and breaking down social barriers.

We understand the issues faced by women and the forms of abuse and trauma they experience. We donate our makes to charitable causes also. Women coming together from all different backgrounds to help one another and their community; local and global.

Facebook: (Private group) https://www.facebook.com/groups/1281740178856033

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddalena_project_moseley

Address: Pachahouse Kitchen Garden at The Friends Institute, 220 Moseley Rd B12 0DG