Creative Black Country launch

Last week I went to visit a food bank, this week I ventured into West Bromwich for the launch of Creative Black Country. It’s supported by the Arts Council to promote creativity in the Black Country and part of a national initiative. With 2 million in Arts Council funding they hope to ‘engage’ the people.

There were numerous events, but we were late because the road was closed and we went on a magical mystery tour of West Brom and finally arrived at a car park close by.

In Queens square we saw ACE dance and music perform. There are some photos of that, I’m not sure what the steel structures are there. Sculptures maybe? I wasn’t much impressed with the holomedia –holographic film. I’m getting old, the more Avant garde stuff doesn’t appeal. Black Country people are very down to earth. The Windows collective – window dressing left me cold too.

In what was the Public, now Sixth Form Central, the People’s Orchestra performed. They were good, but I didn’t recognise the music. I was hoping they would play a little Mozart, but Mozart isn’t too popular in the Black Country. The Mendi Sing Trio was quite interesting, it reminded me of the Beatles trip to India when they flirted with playing the sitar.

Engaging the people of the Black Country with art will be an uphill struggle. I went out in the community in 2014 and took photos and talked to people at the Party in the park, the Carnival, the Tipton canal and boat festival, the fun day and the Christmas Lights switch-ons. I would like to photograph the people and then exhibit the pictures so they can go take a look at them. My photos of a gathering of all the horse owners made the local newspaper and they thought that was cool. Other photos made the Express and Star newspaper website.

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Now for the photos!