Creative projects commissioned in Black Country
A scheme to inspire creativity during the coronavirus pandemic has seen more than 20 projects commissioned.
More than £30,000 of commissions has been handed to projects across the Black Country to help communities stay creative, learn new skills and keep connected during the coronavirus pandemic.
The commissions were granted as part of the Creative Connections Commissions programme, a new project by Creative Black Country supporting community groups, artists and organisations.
Creative director of Creative Black Country Jenny Smith said the project was a way to help people stay creative during the pandemic.
She said: "We knew that people were struggling at home to find creative pursuits, engage children, and keep connected, so we put a call out across the Black Country to see what ideas people might have.
"Creative Connections is a new strand of work that has been developed to support creativity across the Black Country during these extraordinary times.
"Each project has been chosen by a panel of people from the Black Country and includes a wide variety of ideas that will take place both online and offline, in specific areas and across the whole region.
"We’re delighted by the diversity of ideas that people came up with and hope that lots of people will join in."
Some of the projects are already underway and feature a diverse selection of organisations and plans from across the Black Country.
Recreations
These include a project by the Black Country Arts Council and Black Country Foodbank to distribute arts and crafts kits to over 200 families.
Another is a video project to chronicle West Bromwich Albion's Championship winning season of 1919/20 through video recreations from home.
Other projects will help members of the public discover their creative side through writing poets or learning to write to tell short stories about isolation, fitting the theme of the pandemic.
Creative Black Country have details of all 20 projects on its website, with information on how to get involved.
To find out more, go to creativeblackcountry.co.uk
