Threading creativity through the Black Country

It is only through the generosity of our valued supporters that we are able to make a difference to communities in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton by exploring and developing new creative projects with local people in the places where they live, promoting health and well-being through creativity and celebrating and nurturing the talent in this region. 

Current Supporters

Arts Council England - Creative People and Places
Creative Black Country (CBC) is an action learning project primarily funded by Arts Council England through the Creative People and Places (CPP) programme to engage audiences in areas where evidence shows people are less likely to take part in publicly funded arts and culture. 
Funding supports strands of work such as Creative Communities where our locally-based Creative Advisers work with artists and groups embedded within communities to co-create and develop seed ideas and test them out, and projects like Funny Things that looks closely at what makes the Black Country laugh!

Here are some quotes from people who have taken part in our projects…

“It helps me eliminate boredom and helps me get away from the places of depression that I have experienced. It also makes me feel that I am doing something effective. Even my son is enjoying with me.” – Virtual MARKit

“A strong community collaboration, new connections made, and creativity increased.” – Community Journal

“Today was special, never thought I would have been able to create one of my own, very good session, would do this again and wished others could get the opportunity to express themselves. Very good for mental health and well-being, well delivered”. Creative Communities – poetry workshop SAYP

The National Lottery Heritage Fund - Making Our Mark
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. Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage.

Previous supporters

Paycare, Wolverhampton –  supporting Creative Connections in 2021, 2022 + 2023 through their Corporate Social Responsibility programme

This partnership promoted the health and well-being benefits of staying connected during lockdown through a series of safe, socially distant creative projects called Creative Connections. More information about all the commissioned projects can be found here.

Black Country Living Museum – supporting Creative Connections in 2021 , 2022 + 2023

Our partners at Black Country Living Museum supported this series of lovely lockdown creative projects that were fully accessible. Providing opportunities to meet new people and take part in new creative activities.

Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy – supporting The Black Country Funding Network for Arts and Culture

During the first lockdown in 2019 AFP supported CBC through the set-up of a new virtual funding network for anyone involved in arts and culture in the Black Country.

Robert Bosch Stiftung supporting Actors of Urban Change – an international project with young people in Wolverhampton. Youth Lab in Wolverhampton was chosen as one of ten teams from over 170 applications across Europe to join the Actors of Urban Change programme. The project supported young people to have a voice in the city’s future.

National Lottery Heritage Fund – supporting Finding our Funny Roots. Working with local volunteers, students and Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists (local performance poets) this support from HLF has been bringing a smile to faces as we research the roots of Black Country humour from 1950-2000. If you feel like a good laugh (or loff!) you can find out more here.

The Space 100 Masters Support - The Space helps artists and organisations make great art and reach new audiences digitally. The Space offered the opportunity for 3 members of staff to take part in video training and up-skilling during our 100 Masters campaign, as well as providing a toolkit to make the most of sharing our short films. You can watch the videos here.

Want to know more?

If you’d like to know more about how to support creativity in the Black Country then please email yvonne@creativeblackcountry.co.uk