News

06.07.20

£1.5bn lifeline to keep UK’s arts sector afloat

Britain’s arts and heritage sectors have been promised £1.57bn of help in a long-awaited rescue package described by the government as the biggest one-off investment in UK culture – via The Guardian.

News

03.07.20

An Open Letter to the Chancellor

The Contemporary Visual Art Network (CVAN)’s Open Letter to the Chancellor Rishi Sunak Secretary to the Treasury Kemi Badenoch MP and DCMS Secretary of State Oliver Dowden about the impact of Covid-19 on the Visual Arts and how to save an art form that plays a central role in the UK’s economy and society.

News

03.07.20

Coventry City of Culture to commence year-long programme in May 2021

Coventry City of Culture Trust has announced that it will officially commence its programme in May 2021. Co-created with national and local partners, and grassroots organisations across the city, the programme will include major international artistic events, world premieres and commissions across theatre, music, dance, literature, comedy and visual art.

Feature Media

02.07.20

Pride, power, pedals and protest: black British photographers pick a best shot

Black Lives Matter has underlined the crucial role played by black photographers. Eight British leaders (including Birmingham-based Vanley Burke) in their field to pick a favourite image from their archives – and explain why it’s so important to them – via The Guardian

Feature

02.07.20

Laura Onions: More than Mere Reading

We speak to artist Laura Onions about new work she is making during lockdown exploring this context of enforced leisure.

News

30.06.20

Wolverhampton to open prestigious British Art Show 9

Wolverhampton has been chosen as the first city to host the British Art Show 9, taking place in 2021. The British Art Show is the largest touring exhibition of contemporary art in the UK, giving people in cities across the country the opportunity to engage with work by the most exciting artists in Britain.

Feature Media

29.06.20

How can the craft world address its lack of diversity?

The Crafts Council ask expert commentators what they think the main problems are and how institutions should be addressing them.

Engine

29.06.20

A pas de deux: A working draft of an artwork to be read by Joanne Masding

Joanne Masding has used her Engine Micro Bursary to begin a new piece of writing to think about ways of knowing the material world when it can’t be met with a body.

Interview Media

29.06.20

Anand Chhabra Interviewed by Moya Lloyd

Moya Lloyd interviews West Midlands based artist Anand Chhabra as part of a series exploring artist experiences of lockdown. – via greenarts.co.uk

Interview Media

29.06.20

Illustrator Mengxia Liu tells stories through busy, vibrant scenes

New Art West Midlands x Coventry Biennial exhibitor, Mengxia Liu, talks about developing a feeling of community through her illustrations. – via Creative Review

Feature

26.06.20

Your space or mine – Artist Spotlight: Pogus Caesar

Jack Arts interviews Pogus Caesar. Born in St Kitts and brought up in Birmingham, Caesar has contributed two images currently displayed on billboards across the UK in response to the Black Lives Matter movement.

News

23.06.20

Disability campaigners warn of UK’s progress unravelling in the arts

Progress made in the representation and inclusion of disabled artists and audiences is in danger of unravelling because of the pandemic, campaigners have warned – via The Guardian.

News

22.06.20

Outside In Midlands Hub

Outside In launch their Midlands Hub website, providing a platform for artists who face significant barriers to the art world due to health, disability, social circumstance or isolation.

News

22.06.20

Digital Diaspora: The Midlands Covid-19 Project

Black Country Visual Arts (BCVA) and ReFramed are launching a new project to record Black, Asian and other minority ethnic communities experiences of COVID-19 across the Midlands.

News

19.06.20

Standing in solidarity with Black communities around the world. Our commitment to Black Lives Matter

As part of the Contemporary Visual Arts Network (CVAN), New Art West Midlands is continuing and committed to work with our colleagues across the English regions to address inequalities in the visual arts.

News

17.06.20

Shropshire Council emergency arts grants 2020

In response to the current crisis Shropshire Council have provided emergency grant funding to 23 arts organisations, venues and festivals in the county. The funding is supporting a huge amount of high-quality arts activity. Over the next six months, communities from across Shropshire will have the opportunity to get involved in a range of exciting online and digital arts activities. It’s estimated that over 23,000 people will benefit, as either participants or audience members.

Engine

12.06.20

Extremely Valuable Person by Dan Auluk

Dan Auluk reflects on his recent Micro Bursary activity – a collaboration with his mother Harbhajan Kaur. He used the project to make dedicated time to focus and to tackle some of the anxieties of this pandemic period.

News

09.06.20

West Midlands arts companies come together to celebrate the region’s arts & culture with free midsummer festival

West Midlands Culture Response Unit (WMCRU) announces the Midsummer Festival, a free one-day festival celebrating arts and culture in the West Midlands on Saturday 20 June.

Media

09.06.20

Black Lives Matter: Resources, reading and opportunities for arts professionals

We’ll be updating this list of resources and opportunities as we find them.

If there’s something you think should be included, please let us know via – info@newartwestmidlands.co.uk

Engine

08.06.20

Helen Garbett: Mother and Son: A COVID-19 collaboration

A collaboration between Helen Garbett and her son Kallum who is learning disabled and autistic, exploring his experience of lockdown. Supported by an Engine Micro Bursary.