What does heritage mean to the people who live in Walsall today? For the first cohort of Making Our Mark, community groups explored that question through textiles, photography, personal memories, music and dance. Their projects celebrated the traditions people have carried with them, the connections they have made and the stories that now form part of Walsall’s shared identity.

Stories were blooming alongside the flowers at Caldmore Community Garden on Saturday 20th June.. As part of Making Our Mark, local people took part in a series of storytelling workshops led by Bostin Arts, sharing memories, experiences and reflections on what this much-loved community space means to them.

Would your Walsall-based community group like to share your unique heritage stories? Applications are now open for our final round of Community Heritage Grants.

We’re hosting a special online session for local creatives on 6th May, where you can hear about the commission that’s available - and there will be the opportunity to ask questions too.

As the first cohort of groups taking part in Making our Mark has now ended, it feels like the right moment to pause, reflect and celebrate the creativity, care and connection that has been unfolding across Walsall.

We’re inviting Walsall-based creatives, community groups and heritage organisations to apply for Walsall Beyond, a new £18,000 digital commission delivered in partnership with The Space as part of Making Our Mark.

Following the success of our first Making our Mark cohort (which are just in the process of finalising their projects) we are delighted to introduce our next set of community groups. Each one will celebrate a different aspect of heritage with local people at the heart of each project.

There was another brilliant session with Lifegate as participants explored the heritage of Adire, the traditional Yoruba tie and dye technique that dates back to the 1800s.

If you are a community group interested in starting a new heritage project you can apply to Making our Mark NOW!

Making our Mark is now underway in Walsall. At the beginning of July we met some of members of he first five groups who have received the project’s small grants.

We wish to work with a Walsall-based heritage, community, or creative organisation to undertake a new commission exploring Walsall's shared heritage, though we welcome applications from the wider Black Country.

Walsall is a place rich with stories—of traditions passed down through generations, of communities shaped by migration, resilience and creativity. Now, a new opportunity is opening up for local groups to shine a light on their own unique histories through Making Our Mark, a community-led heritage project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.