Meet the Next Cohort of Black Country Digital Firsts

Black Country Digital Firsts has returned with a new group of artists, makers, performers and creative organisations who are experimenting with technology in bold and imaginative ways. This cohort brings together a wide range of practices including sound design, textile tech, projection mapping, animation, interactive storytelling and digital poetry. Each participant is exploring how technology can open new pathways for creativity, access, and community connection across the region.

Here is a glimpse into what each of them is working on and you can click on the links to find out more about their projects and inspiration.

Sarah Ann Cromwell

Sarah Ann is developing Beyond Vision, an immersive spatial-audio experience created in collaboration with visually impaired creatives. She is transforming a section of Warley Woods into a navigable soundscape that shares the stories of blind and visually impaired women in Sandwell. The project challenges assumptions about visual impairment and celebrates sound as a rich, accessible medium for storytelling. “I wanted to prototype a project that strives for excellence in sound rather than visuals and to amplify the voices of women in Sandwell’s visually impaired community.”

Sandeep Pahal, Dr Ananta Dave and Simone Word Smith

This collaboration brings poetry, healthcare, and digital innovation together. The group is exploring how poems can become interactive digital experiences that support wellbeing in NHS settings. From QR-linked poetry on prescriptions to immersive poetic installations, their project aims to bring comfort, connection, and creativity into spaces where people often face difficult moments. “We want to transform poetry into interactive digital experiences that people can engage with while waiting for appointments, collecting prescriptions, or resting at home.”

Karen Garland

Karen is blending digital collage, portable scanning, sound, and projection mapping to reimagine buildings and public spaces across the Black Country. Inspired by the region’s industrial identity, she is creating bold guerrilla-style projections that merge history, emotion, and overheard stories. “I want to transform familiar spaces through digital storytelling and create immersive environments that connect past and present.”

Daya Bhatti

Daya is creating a unique project using textiles and technology, turning a traditional garment into a living interactive artwork. Her project uses digital tools to bring forward layered South Asian narratives while exploring sensory and emotional storytelling. “I am creating a sari that merges textiles and technology to tell stories, blending heritage with innovation.”

StudioFX

StudioFX is designing an ambitious projection and animation project that brings the energy of Times Square or Piccadilly Circus into Walsall. Their vision involves transforming a local wall into a vibrant digital spectacle with loops, ticker tapes, and animations that celebrate the creativity and vibrancy of the town. “I want it to look like I have imported a wall from New York.”

Sylwia Ciszewska-Peciak

Sylwia is working on I’m a Patchwork Mother, a moving and emotional project that uses handcrafted cubes, photography, and stop motion animation to explore the shifting identities within motherhood. Her work bridges traditional craft and digital motion to reveal the fluidity of maternal experience. “My project explores motherhood through hand-built cubes that can be rearranged to reveal new emotional configurations.”

Gazebo Theatre in Education (Bilston)

Gazebo Theatre is creating an immersive projection mapped environment that brings nature into urban Bilston. Their installation will offer a calming sensory experience designed to be accessible and welcoming for people who may not usually engage with the arts, including neurodiverse audiences. “We want to bring the Outside, In and create a sound and visual space that represents nature in the heart of an urban area.”

A Cohort Shaping the Future of Digital Creativity

Together, these artists and organisations are redefining what digital creativity can look like in the Black Country. From sound-led storytelling to tech-infused textiles, emotional animation, community-focused projections, and poetic wellbeing tools, each project brings fresh ideas and new ways of engaging audiences.

This cohort shows that digital creativity is not just about software or devices. It is about imagination, curiosity, cultural identity, and the power of storytelling. Their work highlights how technology can deepen connection, expand access, and celebrate the diverse voices that make the Black Country unique.