Bright artists showcase the changing landscape of Midlands industry at arts festival

Luke Perry, from Cradley Heath, will join more than 35 artists from the UK, USA, Germany and Spain for Longbridge Light Festival 2016: The Shadow Factory in Longbridge town centre.

The free one-night festival, which forms part of the Longbridge Public Art Project, LPAP, will run across the town centre on October 22.

The event aims to showcase work in response to Longbridge's past, present and future by highlighting how the area has changed beyond all recognition in recent years, from a huge car plant manufacturer into a modern complex of shops, restaurants and bars.

There will also be a programme of music, performance, pop-up theatre, family workshops, arts and crafts market stalls, and award-winning street food.

The first light festival in October 2014 attracted more than 5,500 visitors.

A number of artworks and performances have been created by artists working with the community, schools and students from Bournville College.

The festival's theme this year is Shadow Factory, a historical reference to the Shadow Scheme of the Second World War, headed by Lord Austin, founder of the Austin Motor Company.

During the last three years Mr Perry has been developing a large scale sculpture that will be installed in 2017 with collaborator Redhawk Logistica.

Part of Mr Perry's research resulted in the creation of some permanent smaller scale work in response to the artist's research and engagement with local people titled Longbridge Street Signs.

Four alternative steel road signs will be installed across the new town centre for the light festival.

Words on each sign are phrases taken from conversations with numerous former plant workers, reflecting the thoughts, experiences and emotions of how people feel about Longbridge.

Mr Perry said: "My primary research concern was not focussed upon the actual cars produced in Longbridge during the existence of the plant but more so in the people, the skilled crafts men and women – the workforce essentially."

One of the artist's earliest pieces within LPAP was a Factory Site Map, which arose from interviews and conversations with ex-workers and younger residents who have grown up with stories of the plant.

"The Longbridge Factory Map also came from a desire to visually map the enormous factory site," said Mr Perry.

"The result was an expanded and annotated drawing, made with the help of ex-factory worker and resident John Baker, and Austin Sports & Social Club members.

"The map was exhibited at LPAP's temporary space throughout 2014 and, at approximately 30-feet long, acted as an accessible stimulus for conversations and the recollection of personal memories."

Further events at this year's Longbridge Light Festival include a 300-strong torch lit parade, the premiere of Off The Radar, featuring an original composition by Birmingham composer, Bobbie-Jane Gardner, and light installation by visual artist, Anna Schimkat, which will be performed on the night.

Festival curator Claire Farrell said: "The programming of Longbridge Light Festival is about the history and transformation of Longbridge and also, perhaps most importantly, for Longbridge.

"It's a grass roots festival that has been developed directly in response to the place.

"Longbridge's past, present and future is the ongoing frame of reference and new work will be created in response to this year's festival theme, Shadow Factory.

"It will be a poetic nod to the area's industrial heritage and wartime past, as well as a metaphor for the hidden depths of a place, the stories that lie beneath its surface."

Longbridge Light Festival 2016: The Shadow Factory runs from 6pm-10pm. Visit www.longbridgelightfestival.co.uk for details.