Latest news with #WolverhamptonArtGallery
BBC News
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Musical talent in Wolverhampton nurtured through £30,000 project
Aspiring musicians in Wolverhampton will be able to get help from industry experts to develop their skills thanks to a £30,000 Road2Release project at Wolverhampton Art Gallery first ran for a week in October with local grime artist has since been extended for six weeks with three groups across the year to offer more in-depth support for under funding from the Youth Music aims to "support projects that trial new ways of working, sustain grassroots programmes, or disrupt the status quo", the city council said. Participants will gain access to music industry experts and hands-on experience in a professional setting as well as paid opportunities to develop and showcase their skills, said charity Youth Music, which helps marginalised young people to make and monetise programme was set up to nurture local talent and "reimagines the role that museums and galleries can play in supporting the music industry," a spokesperson Chris Burden, cabinet member for city development, jobs and skills at Wolverhampton City Council, said they were "thrilled" to receive the funding. "This initiative is a testament to our commitment to nurturing young talent and providing them with the resources and opportunities to thrive in the music industry," he said."By partnering with local artists like Reepa, we are creating a vibrant, supportive environment where emerging musicians can connect, learn, and grow."This project not only enriches our community but also empowers our young people to pursue their passions and build successful careers in music."Last summer the grime artist wrote a visual love letter paying homage to his home city of Wolverhampton to show people "the pride I have for our community, for our people". Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
New exhibition to open at Wolverhampton Art Gallery
The organisers of a new art exhibition supported by the British Museum promise it will capture "the spirit of Wolverhampton".Walking with Wolves has been created by a group of 16 young people to express their experiences of growing up in the city, as well as Wolverhampton's own history, architecture and Chris Burden described it as "a powerful reflection of Wolverhampton's past and a bold vision for its future".The exhibition opens at Wolverhampton Art Gallery on Easter Monday. City of Wolverhampton Council said the project had been developed as part of a national programme by the British Museum and an arts charity, the Paul Hamlyn will comprise paintings and videos as well as historical objects.A spokesperson for the British Museum said they had been impressed by "the creativity and vision" of the young Burden added: "These young creators have captured the city's essence through art, challenging us all to rethink what Wolverhampton can be."This exhibition is their voice, their movement, and their hope for a thriving, inclusive city."The exhibition runs at Wolverhampton Art Gallery until 14 July, with a launch evening on Friday. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Wolverhampton's bid for museum and trail to mark Viking battle
Artists and historians are hoping plans for a museum and art trail will help to mark a Viking clash that took place in Wolverhampton 11 centuries Battle of Tettenhall, also known as the Battle of Wednesfield, was fought between the Anglo Saxons and Vikings in 910 the exact site is unknown, and has been debated by historians for many years, those in the Tettenhall and Wednesfield communities want to reignite the significant part of Wolverhampton's history for generations to come."It is a crime that this battle isn't everyday knowledge," said artist Rachel Arnold. The outcome of the battle secured the English kingdom but also marked a turning point in Viking incursions into of men died, among them two Danish kings and several Lady of the Mercians, also known as Aethelflaed, daughter of Alfred the Great, won the fight against the was later chosen as her husband's successor and took control of Mercia, one of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, now known as the District Community Trust has applied for funding from Arts Council England to create the Aethelflaed Trail and proposed 13-mile (20.9km) art trail would run between Tettenhall and Wednesfield, and include temporary outdoor sculptures and exhibits in an Anglo-Saxon trust is also in discussions with Severn Trent water to convert a derelict Grade II listed pumphouse into a permanent museum showcasing all of Wolverhampton's history as well as the Battle of Tettenhall. Rebecca Cresswell, project leader, said: "There's a lot going into this, it has become an exciting, evolving beast this project. "It started off with the battle and the workshops but it is on a lot bigger scale now, it's planning a new venue for Wolverhampton. "We need to get the history out for Wolverhampton because not a lot of people know." Ms Arnold, creative director of the project, has been running community workshops at Wolverhampton Art Gallery with members of the public, designing mock-ups of what some of the works and exhibits could look like on the artist, who has lived in Wolverhampton for 14 years, said she felt the city had been neglected and hoped funding could be approved to make plans come to life, bringing visitors to the area."When people first hear of this battle they have no idea of its history," she said."I just can't understand why there isn't a monumental statue. "If this battle was in Birmingham or any other city there probably would be stuff about it but Wolverhampton has been hit very hard by cuts, so we need to make this happen." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
New Wolverhampton exhibition delves into 'pain and trauma' of war
A new photography exhibition has opened at Wolverhampton Art Gallery, focusing on landscapes and urban scenes which reflect "sites of previous pain, trauma or melancholy".The solo exhibition by Syrian-Armenian photographer Hrair Sarkissian, called Other Pains, comprises photography, moving images and Sarkissian, who works and lives in London, first trained at his father's photography studio in Syria's capital Damascus, which was badly damaged during the country's civil war. The gallery said through the exhibition the artist tells stories of the fighting. "Through extensive research he conveys stories of conflict, displacement, loss and hope," the gallery said. "By documenting sites that bear the scars of trauma, whether as hints that remain of a life that has gone before in a landscape or previously loved place, the artist draws upon personal and collective memories to reveal untold narratives."Invisibility contrasted with visibility is evident in his often deserted landscapes and locations, devoid of human presence, they are filled with human existence."The free exhibition is set to run until 22 June. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Wolverhampton community arts weekend kicks of Kabaddi World Cup
A celebration of culture and creativity will kick off the Kabaddi World Cup, which is being held in the West Midlands – the first time it has been hosted outside workshops have been held across the region, and activities, including drumming, flag and banner-making, are taking place at Wolverhampton Art Gallery this workshops have been billed as a celebration of the World Cup, and the popular combative team sport, with "something for everyone to enjoy".The opening ceremony on Monday, which starts the week-long event, will include performances from Wolverhampton Music Service and a Bollywood dance troupe at the Aldersley Stadium. There will also be a grand athlete procession led by representatives from Wolverhampton Wrestling organisers said that more than 2,700 students have taken part in community workshops held at schools and cultural hubs so gallery's community weekend is planned to bring communities together, centred around a South Asian market installation by artist Daya Bhatti.A spokesman said the programme had created "a lasting impact" and a "platform for cultural exchange and inclusion", that showed the power of sport and the arts could "unite communities, spark creativity and leave a lasting legacy."The game of Kabaddi involves teams of seven players that take turns sending a "raider" into the enemy's territory. The raider has to tag as many opponents as possible while chanting "kabaddi, kabaddi", without stopping. Kabaddi World Cup West Midlands 2025 runs from 17 to 23 March and is set to feature men's and women's teams from across the world, including from India, Iran and nation teams from England and Scotland are also of fans have bought tickets for the competition over seven days with more than 60 matches to be held across Birmingham, Coventry, Walsall and are expected to reach a TV audience of more than 250 million people across tournament features men's and women's teams for only the second time - after the first took place in Malaysia in 2019, when India won both competitions. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
