Media

Ikon’s Sheela Gowda exhibition reviewed in Frieze

Emilia Terracciano reviews Ikon’s Sheela Gowda solo exhibition in Frieze magazine.

Engine

Jodie Wingham Reports from Textile Screenprinting Summer School at Leicester Print Workshop

Jodie Wingham reports from Leicester Print Workshop’s Screenprinting Summer School.

Media

Mahtab Hussain: You Get Me? review on Photomonitor

Helen Trompeteler reviews Mahtab Hussain’s solo exhibition You Get Me? at Autograph ABP for Photomonitor.

Interview

Q&A with Tom Verity and James Lomax: Glasshouse 2

Since 4 July, artists Tom Verity and James Lomax have been undertaking the second part of the Glasshouse residency programme in The New Art Gallery Walsall’s Artists’ Studio. Anneka French found out more.

Media

Quarter of arts PhDs ‘neglect career development’

Many UK doctoral students view professional development as a ‘distraction’ or a ‘waste of time’, says study. Article from Times Higher Education.

Connecting Stories of British Heritage

Harpreet Kaur writes about the Library of Birmingham exhibition Connecting Stories: Our British Asian Heritage for the Huffington Post.

News Opportunities

The Orchard Project Call Out for Artists

The Orchard Project is seeking artists, designers and collaborators to imagine a long-term vision for a major orchard restoration project 2017-2020 and beyond at Brockhampton Estate.

Interview

Q&A with Seán Elder, Associate Curator at Grand Union

We catch up with Seán Elder, Grand Union’s new Associate Curator, to find out more about his background, research and future plans.

Media

New Kickstarter Launched for Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art

a-n report on a new Kickstarter for the biennial. The 17-day festival will feature over 70 exhibitions and events from UK and international artists. Jack Hutchinson finds out more from artist and biennial director Ryan Hughes.

News Opportunities

Blast! Call out for artist and curator commissions

Blast! is a new creative opportunity for artists and curators to create new work, exhibitions and performances for Blast! Festival in 2019. The festival will focus particularly on work in photography, moving image, sound and digital media.

News Opportunities

AA2A: Coventry University and University of Wolverhampton

Coventry University and University of Wolverhampton are now accepting applications for the well-established Artists Access to Art Colleges (AA2A) scheme.

Engine Travel

Kaye Winwood Reports from Food Art Week (Berlin)

Last month Kaye Winwood attended Food Art Week (Berlin), this research opportunity was supported by an Engine Micro Bursary, from New Art West Midlands and The New Art Gallery Walsall. She reports back on her experiences.

Engine Feature

Grace A. Williams on the Psychical Research Archive, Cambridge

Grace A Williams visited the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) Archive at Cambridge University Library, the largest UK repository of material relating to unexplained phenomena. Watch her video report.

News

Barbara Walker Selected for Jerwood Drawing Prize 2017

Barbara Walker has been selected as one of the exhibitors in the Jerwood Drawing Prize, opening at Jerwood Space on 13 September 2017.

Interview

Q&A with Artist Pamela Schilderman

Annabel Clarke speaks to artist Pamela Schilderman about her work in Leamington Spa Museum & Art Gallery’s Spotlight display.

Engine Travel

Artists and Producers Selected for Venice Biennale Bursaries

Four artists and visual arts producers based in Birmingham and the Black Country have been awarded our 57th Venice Biennale bursaries following an open call.

Interview

Introducing Recent Activity: Q&A with Andrew Gillespie and Andrew Lacon

Recent Activity is a curatorial collaborative project by Birmingham-based artists Andrew Gillespie and Andrew Lacon. They have recently opened a space on Floodgate Street in Digbeth. We found out what they have planned for the space.

News

Hereford College of Arts Success at Free Range, London

Graduates of Hereford College of Arts Photography programme have enjoyed recent success at the annual Free Range graduate show in London.

News

New Art West Midlands 2018 exhibition – selected artists announced

28 artists have been selected for the exhibition, New Art West Midlands 2018 which will take place at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry and Airspace Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent in February to May 2018.

News

Mark Essen selected for 3-Phase

Mark Essen is one of three artists selected for 3-Phase, a development programme and exhibition series delivered in partnership with Jerwood Charitable Foundation, Workplace Gallery and Eastside Projects.

Media

Creative Freelancers Report

Nearly half (47%) of the creative workers in the creative industries are freelance. Creative Freelancers, is a new report published by the Creative Industries Federation aiming to transform the working lives of those who are self-employed in the industry.

Engine News

Lily Wales receives GRAIN and Engine Bursary

Engine and GRAIN are delighted to announce that Lily Wales has been awarded our £1000 bursary. The bursary was for an artist living and working in the West Midlands region who uses photography as an integral element of their practice.

News

Coventry & Stoke shortlisted for City of Culture 2021

On Friday evening the shortlist for 2021 UK City of Culture was announced. Five out of the original list of eleven bidding cities were selected. In exciting news for the region, two West Midlands cities, Coventry and Stoke-on-Trent made the shortlist.

Media

ISM and a-n launch #FreeMoveCreate

The Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM – the UK’s professional body for musicians) and a-n have announced their collaborative campaign #FreeMoveCreate to protect freedom of movement for all who work in the creative industries.

Engine News

Engine: Curatorial Development Opportunities – Recipients announced

Congratulations to Jonathon Harris, Grace Williams and Kaye Winwood who are successful recipients of our recent curatorial opportunities.

Media

a-n Valuing Artists Strategy

a-n have launched a five-year strategy to tackle the growing challenges artists face in sustaining their careers. Valuing Artists aims to ensure policy makers and commissioners value the artist as well as the art.

Interview

Q&A with Pete James on Thresholds, part of Developed in Birmingham

Developed in Birmingham is a season of hands-on workshops, talks, walks and events which reveal, explore and celebrate the city’s significant role in the early history of photography. In our second interview about the season, curator and photographic historian Pete James, talks about Mat Collishaw’s new artwork Thresholds, currently on show at the Waterhall, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.

Engine Review

Halina Dominska on the Aesthetica Future Now Symposium

Earlier in the year recent graduate and New Art West Midlands 2017 alumna Halina Dominska was awarded an Engine Micro Bursary to attend Aesthetica’s Future Now Symposium which took place from 25-26 May 2017. She reports back on her experience.

Media

Threatened New Art Gallery Walsall saved by Arts Council grant

The New Art Gallery Walsall, which has been under threat of deep public funding cuts, has been saved by a four-year £3.5m grant from Arts Council England. The gallery is also considering a partnership with the University of Wolverhampton to secure its long-term future.

Feature Interview

Q&A with Sam Ivin

Following an open call, photographer Sam Ivin has been awarded a new residency commission in Stoke-on-Trent, a collaboration between GRAIN Projects and Appetite. We found out what he has planned over the next few months.

Feature News

National Portfolio Organisations: A Response from Director Craig Ashley

New Art West Midlands’ director Craig Ashley reflects on yesterday’s announcement from Arts Council England about investment to the region’s visual arts organisations through their National Portfolio for 2018-22.

Media

National Portfolio Organisations Announced

Arts Council England Chief Executive, Darren Henley, welcomes 831 organisations to the 2018-22 portfolio. Find out more about the picture in the West Midlands and across the rest of the country.

Feature News

100 Masters

100 Masters, a landmark campaign from Creative Black Country, is looking to profile the best contemporary craftspeople, makers and thinkers from the Black Country. We speak to Creative Producer, Liam Smyth.

Feature News

Kate Spence on Vivid Live at Vivid Projects

Artist and Associate Curator Kate Spence speaks about Vivid Live, a new live art strand she is curating at Vivid Projects later this year.

Interview

Q&A with Alice Gale-Feeny, Joe Fletcher Orr and Bryony Gillard: Glasshouse

Alice Gale-Feeny, Joe Fletcher Orr and Bryony Gillard were selected for Glasshouse, a residency devised by The New Art Gallery Walsall and Eastside Projects, with the aim to strengthen relationships across the country. Anneka French spoke with them.

Engine Travel

Opportunity to visit the Venice Biennale with the Engine team, 26-29 September 2017

We are offering four West Midlands artists or curators the opportunity to visit the 57th Venice Biennale with the Engine/New Art West Midlands team. Deadline 11am, 17 July 2017.

Media

New Irish initiative acknowledges professional status of artists applying for Jobseekers Allowance

The new one-year pilot scheme has been developed in partnership between the department of social protection and the department of arts, heritage, regional, rural and Gaeltacht affairs, in consultation with Visual Artists Ireland and The Irish Writers Centre.

News

West Midlands artists selected for New Contemporaries

Three artists born in the West Midlands have been selected for the 2017 edition of the prestigious New Contemporaries award and exhibition.

Interview News

A Q&A with Hannah Dale, Canwood Gallery, Herefordshire

We caught up with Hannah Dale of the newly opened Canwood Gallery in Herefordshire to find out more about the gallery’s origins and future plans.

Interview

Q&A with Dan Auluk, GRASSLANDS Founder

We spoke with Dan Auluk, artist, curator and GRASSLANDS founder about his upcoming residencies and plans for the future of this unique space in Birmingham.

Interview

Q&A with Anne de Charmant on Synthetic Landscapes

Meadow Arts’ exhibition Synthetic Landscapes explores our relationship to the land and takes place at Weston Park in Shifnal and Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery. Anneka French spoke to Director Anne de Charmant to find out more.

Interview

Q&A with Aimee Millward on her Collaboration with Dudley Archives

Aimee Millward was a New Art West Midlands exhibitor in 2016 and has recently developed an exhibition in collaboration with Dudley Archives and Local History Centre titled Virtual Mirrors (Intersection of the Real and Unreal).

Interview

Q&A with Ming De Nasty

Last month, artist Ming De Nasty showed a new body of photographs at Birmingham’s A3 Project Space. Sufficient formed part of a research project on urban growing within the city. Annabel Clarke spoke with the artist.

Interview

Joanna Colley on Reuben Colley’s Master Graphics Exhibition

Joanna Colley of Birmingham’s Reuben Colley Fine Art speaks to us about their upcoming exhibition Master Graphics, featuring some of the biggest names in the artworld.

Interview

Q&A with Victoria Lucas on Lay of the Land at AirSpace Gallery

Artist Victoria Lucas is currently presenting her solo exhibition Lay of the Land (and other such myths) at Stoke-on-Trent’s AirSpace Gallery. Anneka French caught up with her to about her research, production processes and what it’s been like working with the gallery again after seven years.

Engine Travel

Adam Grüning on Wolfgang Tillmans and Media Networks at Tate Modern

Artist Adam Grüning was awarded a Micro Bursary to carry out research at Tate Modern exhibitions Wolfgang Tillmans and Media Networks. He reflects on his visit and its relevance to his practice.

Feature News

BOM’s Research on Women and Technology in Indonesia

Annabel Clarke met with Louise Latter, Head of Programme at BOM to find out about their ongoing work with the British Council in Indonesia, as well as their future plans for the space.

Media

Six West Midlands organisations included in Artist-Led Hot 100 by Kevin Hunt

Six art organisations from across the West Midlands are included in this years’ Artist-Led Hot 100, an artwork by Kevin Hunt. These include BLOK in Worcester, Portland Inn Project in Stoke-on-Trent, Office for Art, Design and Technology and Classroom in Coventry, and Recent Activity and Modern Clay in Birmingham.

News

A Matter of Life and Death

A week-long arts and culture festival to explore death and dying in interesting, fun and active ways recently took place. Read more about A Matter of Life and Death at mac birmingham.

Travel

Antonio Roberts Reports from The Arts in a Digital World Summit, Montreal

Artist, curator and New Art West Midlands Advisory Group member Antonio Roberts was invited to speak at The Arts in a Digital World Summit in Montreal, Canada in March. Here he reflects on the possibilities and limitations of digital platforms for the arts, particularly in terms of the diversity of our creative communities.

Interview

Room7 Present their first exhibition FLUX

Room7 is a new curatorial collective that has arisen from the MA in Art History and Curating at the University of Birmingham. We speak to Room7 to find out more about their aspirations for their first exhibition FLUX.

Engine

Dawn Harris Attends Magritte’s Umbrella: Drawing Upon the Subconscious at the Royal West Academy

Artist and Director of ArtistsWorkhouse, Dawn Harris, received an Engine Micro Bursary to expand her practice through attendance at the 3 day workshop Magritte’s Umbrella: Drawing Upon the Subconscious at the Royal West Academy, Bristol. She shares her experiences.

Interview

Jo Gane looks ahead to A White House on Paradise Street

In the first of our texts looking ahead to Developed in Birmingham, artist Jo Gane discusses her exhibition A White House on Paradise Street at BOM, which takes inspiration from a lost photograph made by George Shaw.

Engine

Engine: Curatorial Development Opportunities

ENGINE, the professional development programme for artists and curators in the region is currently offering two curatorial opportunities – a Curatorial Development Opportunity with Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art and a Bursary Opportunity for Curatorial Development.

Engine Travel

Kurt Hickson on Painters’ Painters and Robert Rauschenberg

Kurt Hickson was awarded a Micro Bursary to undertake two research trips to London, visiting several exhibitions including Painters’ Painters at Saatchi Gallery and Tate Modern’s Robert Rauschenberg retrospective.

Interview

Liz Hingley: Home Made in Smethwick

An interview with artist and anthropologist Liz Hingley about her photographic series Home Made in Smethwick, now a publication and touring exhibition commissioned by Multistory.

Interview

Evolution Explored: Magnum Photos in Shrewsbury

We speak to Salla Virman, former CEO of The Hive Arts Centre in Shrewsbury, about her motivations for the Magnum Photos public realm exhibition Evolution Explored.

Interview

Interview: Mark Cass, Founder & CEO of Cass Art

We are delighted that Cass Art, the UK’s leading art supplies retailer sponsored the New Art West Midlands exhibitions this year. As well as exhibitions sponsor, they provided prizes to two awards this year. Mark Cass, Founder and CEO of Cass Art, answered our questions.

Media

“I wanted to articulate the complexities of British Asian life”: photographer Mahtab Hussain on his new show, You Get Me?

Artist and New Art West Midlands Advisory Group member Mahtab Hussain talks to It’s Nice That about his current solo exhibition You Get Me at Autograph ABP.

Media

A Q&A with… Alex Hartley and Tom James, artists with a blueprint for the future

Anneka French speaks to artists Tom James and Alex Hartley for a-n about The Clearing, their experimental geodesic dome set in the grounds of Compton Verney.

Engine News

Curatorial Research Group – with Tom Clark, 25 May 2017

In this second meeting, curator, writer and editor Tom Clark will present his research to the Curatorial Research Group and lead a discussion around the role of publishing (or, making public) in relation to practices of instituting.

Feature

Sarah Shalgosky: How to be an artist in the gig economy

The ‘gig economy’ is receiving a lot of coverage in the media at the moment. How can you be an artist in this environment? We reproduce Sarah Shalgosky, Curator at the University of Warwick’s Keynote from The National Association for Fine Art Education annual symposium ‘Artist as Superconnector/Superconductor’ held in March.

Review

More Awkward Bastards

Writer Poppy Noor visited the second Awkward Bastards symposium in March co-produced by DASH, mac birmingham and the Live Art Development Agency. She reflects on the event, as well as questions of diversity and representation.

Media

The estate agents marketing Stoke-on-Trent to Londoners

Over the last week Londoners were offered the chance to swap one Stoke for another as part of a project to attract more creative professionals to the Potteries. It involved transforming an arts centre in London’s Stoke Newington into an estate agents in order to promote a range of Stoke-on-Trent-based properties. Organisers wanted to show people how they could avoid the high costs of living in the capital city by moving to North Staffordshire instead.

Feature

Hannah Honeywill: Tumbleweed

Birmingham City University graduate Hannah Honeywill exhibited work as part of the 2016 New Art West Midlands exhibitions. As as result, she was selected for a residency at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts. We caught up with her to hear about the residency, and her new piece Tumbleweed which is currently on display at the gallery.

News

Interim CVAN National Coordinator to speak at Aesthetica Magazine Future Now Symposium 2017

Gordon Dalton, Interim CVAN National Coordinator and Visual Arts South West Network Manager, will speak during the Commissioning/Funding session at Aesthetica Magazine Future Now Symposium 2017 in York on Thursday 25 May.

Engine Travel

Mark Essen reports on the recently reopened Tate St.Ives

Mark Essen reports on the recently reopened Tate St.Ives. A recipient of an Engine micro-bursary, Mark wished to visit to visit galleries and studios in the Cornwall area for professional development and attend a group show in which he was exhibiting.

News

New Art West Midlands 2018 – Call for artists

Applications are now open for New Art West Midlands 2018. Apply now!

News

In Conversation with Katie Hodson

As part of a Special Opportunity Award from the New Art West Midlands exhibitions, Katie Hodson, a recent graduate of University of Worcester, is currently undertaking a residency offered by Office for Art, Design and Technology. On Monday 24 April, there will be an ‘In Conversation’ event with Katie at mac birmingham.

Media

Birmingham to get £2m singing clock at site of planned HS2 station

Turner Prize-winning artist Susan Philipsz will create work after being named winner of Birmingham Big Art Project contest

Engine News

Curatorial Curriculum – Engine bursary recipients announced

Grand Union’s Curatorial Curriculum is an alternative educational programme for emerging curators, consisting of intensive workshops led by internationally-renowned practitioners. Earlier in the year Engine offered bursaries for the course for West Midlands-based curators. We are delighted to announce the four artists who were awarded bursaries.

Interview

Q&A with Ryan Hughes, Director of Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art

From 6 to 22 October this year Coventry will see its first Biennial of Contemporary Art. Annabel Clarke caught up with Ryan Hughes, Director of the Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art and lead artist at Office for Art, Design and Technology to hear more about his plans for the Biennial, and their current crowdfunding campaign.

Engine News

Curatorial Research Group

Engine, in partnership with Eastside Projects and Grand Union, is looking to set up a Curatorial Research Group. The Group aims to investigate and to further develop contemporary curatorial research, as well as championing its development in the region and bringing together art workers across the West Midlands and beyond.

Media

Green and unpleasant land: UK countryside takes sinister twist in new exhibition

Compton Verney explores how artistic, social and political forces have shaped Britain’s relationship with rural landscape.

Feature

Longbridge Light Festival 2016: Shadow Factory

Watch a new video highlighting the light-based artworks commissioned for Longbridge Light Festival 2016.

Travel

Jonathan Harris: a Letter from Hong Kong

Jonathan Harris, Head of Birmingham School of Art, reflects on the geo-political contexts of Birmingham and Hong Kong

Media

Getting the best deal for culture as we leave the European Union

As Article 50 is triggered, Simon Mellor, Deputy CEO, Arts and Culture, Arts Council England, writes on their continued commitment to developing and supporting arts and culture in England and on an international stage.

News

Drafting a Visual Arts Strategy for the West Midlands

COMPLETE THE SURVEY to help us shape a regional strategy for the visual arts

Media

Making galleries autism friendly: an artist’s view on what needs to be done

Disabled artist Beth Davis-Hofbauer recently produced the self-initiated report, Autism Matters: Making Galleries and Museums ASD/SPD Friendly.

Travel

The Writer’s Bench: Mark Murphy in New York

Artist and designer Mark Murphy reflects on his recent trip to New York and the significance one special site has had on his practice.

Review

Sonia Boyce: Wallpaper/Performance Review

Esther Draycott reviews the recent event Wallpaper/Performance by Sonia Boyce at Eastside Projects and looks ahead to the next.

Media

Diversity is a white word

The superficial scramble for cultural diversity is not addressing the deep causes of exclusion and the power imbalance in the arts.

Media

Artists use work to fund pensions

The Artist Pension Trust (APT) uses work from professional artists as the basis for raising funds they can use to retire.

News

Micro Bursaries: The Awardees so Far

Read more about the 14 Micro Bursaries that Engine has awarded to artists and curators based in the region so far.

Engine Travel

Jenny Duffin Visits Manchester for Make:Shift and Maker Assembly

Creative Producer Jenny Duffin reports back from Make:Shift and Maker Assembly in Manchester. Her research was funded by a Micro Bursary.

Interview

Faye Claridge: Kern Baby Homecoming

View Kern Baby Homecoming, a new film from Warwickshire-based artist Faye Claridge on her Kern Baby project which toured between Compton Verney, Library of Birmingham and Northumberland.

Media

Arguing for Arts Professionals to Lobby West Midlands Mayoral Candidates

Photographer Jas Sansi argues for arts professionals to lobby West Midlands mayoral candidates to insure investment.

Media

So you want to be an artist? Then let the pros show you how it’s done

DBC Pierre wrote in a fever, Frank Turner dabbled in thrash and Nikki Amuka-Bird jumped off a cliff. Artists reveal how they got to the top – and how you can too.

Engine Travel

Duncan Poulton visits Berlin’s Transmediale 2017

Duncan Poulton reflects on his recent research visit to Transmediale festival in Berlin. His visit was part funded by the New Art West Midlands Engine Micro Bursary scheme.

News

New Art West Midlands 2017 Prizewinners Announced

Ten New Art West Midlands 2017 artists have been awarded with cash prizes and unique career development opportunities.

Media

How the art world airbrushed female artists from history

Figures compiled by the Guardian paint a dismal portrait of women artists exhibiting in major galleries, in the UK and abroad. But are things changing?

Feature

In Praise of Awkwardness

Ahead of next month’s Awkward Bastards II symposium at mac birmingham, Craig Ashley shares thoughts in praise of awkwardness and the creative case for diversity for our region and beyond.

Engine

Engine Studio Visits

In December we offered artists and curators living in the West Midlands the opportunity to apply to receive a studio visit from an arts professional. Nine artists from across the region have been selected.

Engine Travel

Leah Carless on her Research Trip to Aarhus

Leah Carless reflects on her recent research trip to Aarhus, Denmark, part funded by the New Art West Midlands Engine Micro Bursary scheme.

Interview

Q&A with Keith Harrison, Winner of Jerwood Open Forest 2016

Joyride is a new work being developed for Staffordshire’s Cannock Chase Forest by West Bromwich-born Keith Harrison. Anneka French interviews the artist.

Interview

A Q&A with Jonathon Harris, Curator of Diegetic Life at Fringe Arts Bath

Jonathon Harris is preparing to curate his most ambitious exhibition to date at Fringe Arts Bath. Anneka French finds out more.

Interview

Q&A with Hardeep Pandhal



A new body of work by Hardeep Pandhal is the subject of a current solo exhibition at Eastside Projects titled Nightmare on BAME Street. Anneka French finds out more.

Media

Artist to exhibit prints created on original Spode press at old Stoke factory

Artist Nicola Winstanley is to showcase her prints made on an old pottery’s firm original press – at the former factory site undergoing.

Media

Arts Council prepares to fund an additional 216 NPOs from 2018

As many as 900 arts organisations and museums could be admitted into the national portfolio in the next funding round.

Interview

A Q&A with Ampersand Projects and Justin Wiggan



Ampersand Projects’ Co-Directors Matt and Kate Andrews and artist Justin Wiggan discuss the aspirations and impacts of Green Lungs with Anneka French.

Travel

James Lomax on the North East of England

Artist James Lomax, recent recipient of a New Art West Midlands Engine Micro Bursary, visited the North East of England on a research trip last month.

Media

How crafts workers are learning to sell their work

Birmingham artists Theresa Nguyen and Craig and Rebecca Struthers featured in this article about business skills and selling craft.