Category: Volunteering

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.

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.

Friction Arts ‘We Made Birmingham’ – An Opportunity for Young Community Journalists

Friction Arts is looking to support three aspiring young journalists to be part of an exciting community journalism project in Digbeth, capturing the voices of people telling us their We Made Birmingham stories, which will feature in digital displays across the city to celebrate the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Friction Arts is looking to support three aspiring young journalists to be part of an exciting community journalism project in Digbeth, capturing the voices of people telling us their We Made Birmingham stories, which will feature in digital displays across the city to celebrate the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

We will support you to undertake a short five session course in community journalism training that will equip you to be part of our We Made Birmingham team – recording and sharing stories of heritage, community activism and migration from residents of the Digbeth area.


Pictures from Friction Arts 2021 How Were You? community interviews

Training

All training sessions will be held at:

BVSC Centre, 138 Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 6DR.

The first two sessions are on Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd February, and will run for three hours each, with the choice of a morning slot (10:00am – 1:00pm) or an afternoon slot (1:00pm – 4:00pm).

There will be three additional Saturday training sessions held before Easter. These five x three hour sessions will include:

  • theory behind conducting an excellent interview
  • pre-production processes
  • technical set up of the equipment,
  • camera techniques
  • a session led by a working journalist

The Project

During May and June, you will work at least three half days (times and days to be flexibly arranged) as part of a team of three community journalists and a professional caricaturist, using your training to capture the voices of people as they tell us their We Made Birmingham stories. These interviews will then be edited to become Augmented Reality connected to the twenty portraits as part of a touring exhibition to different sites during Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth.

Friction Arts and our commitment to you

Friction Arts is passionate about heritage, interviewing, oral histories and gathering awkward as well as historic stories. We have a long history, of over thirty years working creatively across Birmingham with experience in oral history (training, interviews, editing and distributing) across different digital formats including Augmented Reality, video, recordings, montage and animation.

Not only will we support you with training, travel and refreshment expenses, you will be part of a live community journalism project with Friction Arts, a well established community arts organisation, who will help you to evaluate the experience and then support you in potential opportunities for the future.

Please contact Marcus to find out more: Marcus@frictionarts.com / Tel: 07784302283

Closing date: Midday 21st February 2022

Mixed Heritage Women Sharing their Extraordinary Stories of Identity – Callout for interviewees

Friction Arts have launched a new project called ‘Stir’ and have put a callout for contributors to this new project that shares the joys and complexities of the identities of women of mixed heritage.

Friction Arts have launched a new project called ‘Stir’ and have put a callout for contributors to this new project that shares the joys and complexities of the identities of women of mixed heritage.

What is Stir?

Stir is a platform created by Friction Arts, for women of mixed heritage, to share the joys and complexities of their identities and the journeys that shaped them. As part of a wider community journalism project in Digbeth, Friction Arts is capturing the voices of people telling us their stories of heritage, community activism and migration, which will feature in Birmingham Public Library’s archive. Friction Arts will also be working in collaboration with an award winning female portrait artist to create a series of extraordinary Stir visual portraits reflecting these extraordinary women and their lives.

How will Stir work?

During March Lead Artist Sarah Kaur will lead a series of one to one interviews inviting Stir participants to share how they experience their multiple ethnicities, and how these experiences shaped their identities. These interviews will last around 1 hr and can take place in the home, or at our studio ‘The Edge’.

Stir participants will also be offered the opportunity to take part in a group Zoom meeting to share their ideas for the series of portraits that will accompany the stories – contributing thinking around themes, sets and costumes.

In early April, a small group of Stir participants will meet at our Studio at the Edge to have their portrait realised by an award winning female portrait artist, to create a series of extraordinary visual portraits sensitively reflecting the complexities of mixed heritage identity.

About Friction Arts

Friction Arts has a history of over thirty years working creatively across Birmingham with experience in oral history across different digital formats including Augmented Reality, video, recordings, montage and animation. We are passionate about heritage, interviewing, oral histories and gathering awkward as well as historic stories.

How to get involved in Stir

If you are a woman of mixed heritage with a story rooted in identity to share, we’d really love to hear from you. Please contact Sarah@FrictionArts.com by midday, 27th February 2022 to arrange an informal chat about getting involved with Stir.

Commonwealth Natural Wonders in Music.

Creating a Commonwealth-wide video celebrating the natural wonders of the Commonwealth through music & art.

​Creating a Commonwealth-wide video celebrating the natural wonders of the Commonwealth through music & art.

Musicians, artists, photographers, creatives & composers – every age, ability, instrument & art form welcome!

This video will feature a ​new piece of music created by Commonwealth musicians, composers & creatives and illustrated by Commonwealth artists & photographers,
to demonstrate the variety & wide array of incredible wild & scenic locations around the Commonwealth, celebrating & sharing the diverse environmental riches in the Commonwealth.

​A contributor doesn’t have to be a performer – you could be an artist or creative illustrating the video, you could be involved in composing & creating the music, you could be a performer on the video.

Your music could be recorded natural sounds, traditional music from your country or practised performance from notated music provided by us.
​
There are 5 ways to be involved
Click on the coloured title for the application page

1) Submit recordings of Indigenous or Traditional Music from Your Commonwealth country
(eg ethnic drumming or panpipe groups, Haka, traditional chanting etc) 
​​
2) Submit recordings of Sounds of the Natural World from Your Commonwealth country (eg wind through the trees, bird song, the sounds of the waves & waterfalls) 

3) Submit Artworks & Photographs of Natural Wonders from Your Commonwealth country

4) Composer – creator of this new piece of music

5) Performer – musicians: instruments & vocals, any instrument, any ability, any age

This will be a Commonwealth celebration of outstanding local nature around the Commonwealth, released in time for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend in June 2022

​FAQ

  1. You must be currently resident in the Commonwealth country of your nationality
  2. Only individuals can apply, no groups
  3. You can be a contributor in any section that you want, you don’t need to pick just one
  4. You must have access to a smart phone or other video recording device or scanner so that you can get your submissions to us electronically
  5. If you are under 18, a Parent or Guardian must sign the permission form for you to be able to participate
  6. Everyone’s submissions will definitely be featured in one of the project’s videos
  7. This is voluntary, all participants will need to sign a release/permission form for their contributions to be used
  8. Email us with any questions at commonwealthmusic@hotmail.com

The Birmingham Allotment Project – New General Public Project!

The Birmingham Allotment Project is an exciting new project by General Public exploring the heritage of allotments in Birmingham from the 1960s to the present day.

The Birmingham Allotment Project is an exciting new project by General Public exploring the heritage of allotments in Birmingham from the 1960s to the present day.

Working closely with Birmingham and District Allotment Confederation, allotment associations and plot-holders city-wide, the project will present an alternative social history of Birmingham via its allotment culture. Birmingham has 113 allotment sites, more than any other local authority, and this project aims to inspire, engage and encourage people to learn about allotments, their history and their place in the city today. The project includes:

  • A major exhibition at the Library of Birmingham from October to December 2023.
  • Working closely with six local schools to train young people in making oral histories.
  • Volunteering opportunities: training in how to make oral histories and the chance to help shape the project.
  • Recording memories and stories: 45 oral histories with plot holders and members of allotment associations.
  • Creation of a website, publication and Birmingham allotment archive.
  • An education pack.
  • A touring exhibition visiting allotment sites.

GET INVOLVED

Please get in touch if you are interested in being included in the project!

Your contributions could feature in:

  • A project book and website.
  • An exhibition at the Library of Birmingham in 2023.
  • The project archive.
Find out more on the project website

Join The GAP’s Volunteer Team!

Become a part of our friendly volunteer team working together to support our mission of engaging young people and the local community through creative and cultural action!

Become a part of our friendly volunteer team working together to support our mission of engaging young people and the local community through creative and cultural action!

The running of our venue and its important day-to-day operations is reliant upon a small team of committed volunteers. We’re now looking to expand the team as we re-open our space to the world once again and welcome back our community. We want people who share our vision, have initiative and ideas to share, and who want to get involved in a longer-term journey with us. In the spirit of mutual exchange, we’ll work together to design a range of volunteer benefits in return for your time, energy and commitment, which will include opportunities to get involved in a whole host of other ways.

We’ve outlined below the details of the current roles and how your involvement would support our vision.

To express your interest, fill in your details on our Volunteer Form by the 28th April. Link to form – https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1xot3p0Uy6EZKvQgImJMicennt1x-iuVCgmgB_nY45r8/viewform?edit_requested=true

We’ll then invite you to come along to an informal group session at The GAP where you can meet the team, see the space, share the vision and find out more details!

COMMUNITY HOSTS

This role is all about making sure our venue is welcoming, accessible and engaging for all our community.

You’ll be the first person our visitors come into contact with, making people feel comfortable, ensuring they’re informed about our work and what’s going on, and encouraging different types of engagement and participation. Responsibilities will include (but are not limited to) welcoming and chatting with visitors, engaging them in the exhibitions, answering enquiries, signposting to our upcoming events or projects, collecting feedback, addressing accessibility needs, taking donations, signing people up to our mailing list, etc.

We want individuals who love to connect with and care about people of all ages and backgrounds, are confident and friendly, great communicators, have an understanding of accessibility needs, with a genuine enthusiasm for our work and a desire to get others involved. Ideally you’ll live in or around Balsall Heath.

CAFE CREW

By assisting us with the smooth running of our community cafe, you’ll be helping us to raise the vital funds needed to sustain our work.

Our cafe is a really important way of introducing audiences into our creative and cultural work, whilst also acting as a cosy hub for conversation and community exchange. As well as serving delicious food and drinks, our Café Crew play a very important role in creating a welcoming environment and ensuring our customers have positive experiences that make them want to come back. Responsibilities include greeting and seating, waiting on tables, serving drinks and snacks, and keeping things clean and tidy.

We want individuals who enjoy and are confident in customer service, who can commit to following COVID-secure hygiene procedures, and who are friendly and hospitable towards all different types of people. Ideally you’ll live in or around Balsall Heath.