During 2021 Creative Black Country was awarded Arts Council funding to develop a local programme (Offsite9) supporting artists to create work that would add value and compliment the main British Art Show 9 show in Wolverhampton.
Offsite9 took centre stage in Wolverhampton from January to April 2022. The programme featured new works and commissions by creatives in the region who have occupied city spaces transforming them into exciting experiences.
With 22 creative commissions, people’s podcasts, tours, talks and collectable print, Offsite9 invited people to experience great art in Wolverhampton with and by local people.
The British Art Show is a landmark touring exhibition that celebrates recent art made in Britain. Organised every five years by Hayward Gallery Touring, next year the exhibition brings the work of contemporary artists to four cities across the UK, Aberdeen, Manchester, Plymouth and Wolverhampton. The show explores three overarching themes – healing, care and reparative history; tactics for togetherness; and imagining new futures.
Creative Black Country worked with a team to develop the ‘Offsite9’ programme. The team includes: Asylum Art Gallery, Flexus Dance, DASH, Bobby Tiwana, Fused, and Nelson Douglas.
There were three strands to the Offsite 9 programme:
Offsite 9 Live creative commissions
New commissions in the city with over 25 artists, creatives, arts organisations, community organisations and collectives who created new work responding to the core themes of the BAS9, which ware being exhibited, shared and available to experience between until April 10th 2022 in Wolverhampton. Commissions included Asylum Art Gallery, Flexus Dance and DASH.
9 words People Podcasts
Creating conversations and debate, we are co-producing 9 podcasts with contributors from Wolverhampton. These responsive podcasts will capture real local voices in our changing social and political environment. The aim will be to reflect the immediate and new reality, whilst reimagining hopeful futures.
9 pages Printed Publication and Map
We have worked with local designers, illustrators, photographers and writers to produce a curated print publication which tells the stories of people of Wolverhampton and profiles the artistic and creative talent in the city. Read the publication online here.
Offsite9 was funded by Arts Council England with support from Paycare.
Offsite 9 news and information
