NEW COMMISSION: Walsall Beyond – A People and Places Digital Commission
Making Our Mark celebrates the rich and diverse heritage of Walsall’s communities through creative programmes that enable people to discover and share untold stories.
Led by Creative Black Country and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, this programme will give local groups, organisations and creatives the opportunity to uncover heritage stories that matter to the people of Walsall today. Whether it’s exploring cultural traditions, historical events, or community memories, we’re here to help you bring your stories to life!
NEW COMMISSION OPPORTUNITY
Walsall Beyond - A People and Places Digital Commission
This is an exciting partnership commission between The SPACE and Creative Black Country as part of Making our Mark.
Are you a Walsall-based heritage / community / creative organisation or individual wanting to explore a particular story rooted in heritage that matters to the people of Walsall? Applicants from the wider region who can demonstrate a meaningful connection with people and place in the town are also eligible.
We are interested in hearing about heritage activities and experiences that bring our community together. This project should showcase the places that connect us, the histories that make us, or stories that inspire us.
This Creative Commission is delivered in partnership with The Space, an organisation that supports the creation of new digital content and platforms. The Space will work alongside Creative Black Country to help successful applicants build digital skills to produce the work, identify target audiences and provide support to reach them.
For this commission we are seeking projects that will deliver strong, original, and engaging digital output with clear plans about reaching audiences.
What do we mean by Digital output?
· The work can be of any type – audio, video, interactive (e.g. a game or a website), or immersive content such as 360-degree video, VR or mixed reality experiences.
· The project must produce a digital outcome that can be shared offline and online.
· In addition to the funding, if your application is successful, we can also provide support in areas where you may need help, e.g., digital production, content distribution and audience development.
What do we mean by Heritage?
Cultural traditions - exploring the history and identity of different communities through things like dance, sport, food, theatre, clothing or language. This could be anything that’s passed down or brings people together.
Nature - protecting local wildlife and green spaces or helping people feel more connected to the natural world around them.
Oral histories - collecting and sharing people’s stories, songs and memories to help others understand the past and how things have changed.
Commemorations and celebrations - marking important moments in time or telling the stories of people and places that matter to a community.
What we want to achieve with you
1. Uncover: We seek the stories that haven't been told yet - hidden in memory, community, and place.
2. Connect: Heritage only matters when it belongs to people. We bring communities into the heart of the work.
3. Carry Forward: We don't preserve the past under glass. We pass it on, through digital, live, and shared experience.
4. Open: We make work that is accessible, inclusive, and free to share. Heritage belongs to everyone.
5. Responsible: We want to create work in an environmentally friendly way.
Project Expectations & Key Dates
The successful project must aim to engage in the region of 18000 people through a range of experiences e.g. workshops, exhibitions, events, talks and sharing sessions, and digital experiences. We can work with you to make this is achievable.
Investment
The total fee is £18,000 inclusive of VAT, covering the organisation's time, research and development, resources, materials, and all project outcomes.
The successful commission will receive support for digital production and distribution expertise from The Space and CBC.
Application Process:
· Proposal submission deadline: Monday May 25th 12.00noon (this is a hard deadline, and no submissions will be accepted after this).
· All applications will be assessed by a panel of experts from across the heritage, creative and digital sector. The successful applicant will be notified the week beginning 6th July 2026.
· Applicants must be living or working in one of the four Black Country boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall or Wolverhampton.
· We are particularly interested in supporting individuals and organisations to create digital work of a kind that they have not delivered before.
How to apply
You can complete the online application and our equal opportunities monitoring form here.
or
You can send us a video or audio proposal (max. 8 minutes) to mom@creativeblackcountry.co.uk. Your proposal should cover the same questions we ask on the application form. Your application email must also include a completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form.
You can download the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form here.
To help with either application method you can download a draft copy of the questions here.
Application Support
If you have any questions or you need further support prior to submitting your application, please drop an email to our Heritage Adviser: rayna@creativeblackcountry.co.uk
Frequently Asked Questions
How much funding is available?
You will receive £18,000 (inclusive of VAT), provided all project stages, including evaluation, are completed.
Do we need a bank account or insurance?
Yes, your group must have a community bank account and public liability insurance. Contact us for guidance if needed.
Who can apply?
Community groups and organisations that CAN submit applications:
Voluntary organisations e.g. community groups or clubs, collectives, history societies, groups that meet regularly
Heritage organisations, creative organisations
Public organisations such as libraries, youth centres, etc.
Organisations whose normal activity is not related to heritage, but who want to include heritage in what they do, e.g. an allotment or residents’ association, a youth group, a senior citizens group
Not-for-profit organisations and community groups, whether registered charities and CICs
Faith groups/organisations
Schools, i.e. affiliated parent/community groups. The activity should engage the wider community, and the grant cannot be used to subsidise work as part of the school’s curriculum
Who cannot apply?
The following organisations CANNOT receive support from this programme:
Organisations that share out profits to members or shareholders
University students using this grant to fund their heritage projects as part of their undergraduate or postgraduate course
Those running activities that do not benefit people living in Walsall
Activities that are already taking place or have already been completed (this must be a new activity)
Important information - if your application is successful:
You will need to provide us with a blank cheque/paying-in slip as proof of the official organisation’s bank account.
You will need to provide an official letter from your community group/organisation stating that the group’s lead has permission to sign contracts on its behalf.
Your group/organisation will need to complete short evaluation forms pre-project, and at the following stages: Explore, Make and Share (completion of the project).
You will need to provide basic documentation of the activity. This could be photographs, film, recordings and/or photography or online documentation, adhering to The National Lottery Heritage Fund Digital Licensing good practice guide. We will provide this information to support you with the process.
It is your responsibility to ensure you have all the necessary consents or permissions in place to undertake your project. We will provide you with our universal consent form.
You will need to be able to start your project as soon as you’ve been informed your application has been successful. We will get back to you as quickly as we can after the deadline.
Can we get help with our application?
Yes, email us to arrange a conversation with our Heritage Adviser - rayna@creativeblackcountry.co.uk
The National Lottery Heritage Fund
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.
Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. Making Our Mark is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to support communities based in Walsall to celebrate their rich and diverse heritage.
