Community Art Fair at New Art Gallery

On Saturday 4 February 2023 I attended an event set up by the Walsall Creative Factory: Making Art with Local Communities at the New Art Gallery in Walsall.

Creative Factory develops and delivers exciting and dynamic arts and heritage projects and events with local communities celebrating local diversity and culture.  Their workshops, outreach work, projects and events have provided a valuable stimulus for creativity and community spirit.

Creative Factory was originally founded in 2015 and are based in Butts Road, WS4 2BL.  In 2018, Deb Slade, Ruth Radcliffe and Maxine Hayward opened a community arts workshop venue in an empty hairdresser’s shop. During the pandemic, they adapted their programme to support and engage the local community with socially distanced events.  Today, they are thriving with over 100 attendances per typical week and many more when delivering events in the local neighbourhood.  Deb curated the projects on display . Some were inspired by a visit to the New Art Gallery. The work was impressive. 

Pictured is the ‘Table cloth’. This is a project funded by Near Neighbours, inspired by a visit to The New Art Gallery Walsall to meet artist Farwa Moledina. Cultural symbols were selected by the women to feature in printed and embroidered panels which were sewn together to form a table cloth representing the sharing of cultural ideas and foods.

Some other artwork on display:

This exhibition celebrates the richness and creativity of a range of groups and individuals who benefit from the use of a safe and supportive workshop environment to meet with guidance and supervision from artists and runs from 4 February to 18 June 2023. The art on display was excellent and it is definitely worth a visit.

The opening hours for this event are:  Tuesday to Saturday: 10am – 5pm; Sunday: 12 noon – 4pm

For more information on all activities here is the link to Creative Factory Creative Factory  and New Art Gallery: The New Art Gallery Walsall