Walsall Creative Factory, a collective a group of community arts professionals and volunteers who opened a venue in an empty hairdressers in The Butts in February last year. They have been funded by Walsall for All’s Innovation Grant to deliver sessions in the community, as well as “Let’s Talk About It” (funded by Controlling Migration Fund) to help local people improve their English skills. They took over the centre for 6 months to deliver the funded programmes and thus were able to open the centre for classes and workshops, community events and trips. The WCF team knew that local people who craft and more professional local artists may take advantage of the cosy and creative space that was created, but the real challenge was to make the space truly inclusive.

As a result of recruiting volunteers and through links with schools and a local mosque, the weekly sessions successfully engaged a variety of audiences, including non-English speaking residents, women and the elderly. WCF also established a Geeks Youth Arts Club, aimed at young people who were on the autism spectrum and vulnerable sessions for adults with disabilities and mental health concerns. This required outreach work to hostels, services and networks in the neighbourhood.

Henry, a young adult with autism who has participated in the sessions said:

“It’s a great place to try art when you haven’t done anything since school, it’s a cool place to meet others in the community, it’s become a community hub, gets you out of the house and doing something positive”.

In between these sessions, they opened their doors to local creatives and developed some classes and community events. In turn, the creatives became befrienders by being around and having conversations with whoever came through the door.

Six months down the line, they could not have anticipated how integrated and inclusive the space has become. The community events and trips have enabled people to meet together and develop new partnerships with Autism Sings and The Bridge Project. This has extended their inclusive network. By stretching the funding, applying for other small local grants and widening the volunteer involvement they have managed to keep open for just over a year now.

As Walsall Creative Factory are open six days a week, they have found that people have come to more sessions throughout the week. They have experienced the most amazing connections, while supporting each other to be creative.

The number of individuals attending the centre are around 250. The success of the centre has been surprising in building participant attendances of around 400 per month and 550 on one month. 

WCF staff and volunteers have learnt to be flexible and support people in different ways. They have found that sharing food together has been an effective way of building bridges. Obtaining the trust of the volunteers and workers leading by example were instrumental in retaining the popularity of the venue. One of WCF’s m0re active volunteers, Jamilla Fazal recently won a One Walsall volunteer award. Two of the volunteers have partnered with the Faith and Belief Forum to bring Muslim and Polish-heritage women together for a 10 week programme that will see them also matched with another community group. They have also been nominated for a Diversity award for work supporting local women,

Some of the elderly service users are long term visitors to UK visiting family every year. They even phone and video call WCF from India and Pakistan. Their families have spoken about the difference it made to the way they feel part of the community in their home to have their parents join in with community activities. They attend sessions and go on trips in mixed groups with local people from British and various cultures and ages who learn a lot by socialising together. Neighbours now know each other well and a renewed community spirit has local people helping to look out for the vulnerable and to look after the local area

An active social media presence keeps the centre looking vibrant, engaging and attractive as well as reaching out to new audiences. Asian elders helped to do the first stage refurbishing historic illumination lights whilst other community groups finished finer details.

WCF recently launched a communal embroidery project that features patterns from different cultures created by more than 20 ladies. A crochet project for Caldmore Community Garden is being worked on by our ladies from both groups.

Through the hard work of staff and volunteers, Walsall Creative Factory will continue changing lives and improving community cohesion and integration outcomes for the people of Walsall and will endeavour to keep the workshop open. 

WCF’s next challenge is to keep the workshop open by expanding their fundraising activities. At a pivotal point to survive a Just Giving Camaign was launched in January to support the venue with core costs in the short term while grants are applied for. Through donations from local people it has reached £970 of a £2600 target. 

To find out more about the fundraising campaign and the programme of groups, workshops and classes please follow the face book page 

https://www.facebook.com/Walsall-Creative-Factory-121518191691778/?ref=bookmarks

The Just giving page outlines what the funding will be used for https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/creativefactory?utm_id=108&utm_term=RD6jeD4VD&fbclid=IwAR1xxgWqnfzxs1siPS8UHI1LgEODYb8nZaf1Wawa0S9RRNe5wWENPGqgrfE