Sandwell Arts in Queen’s Square Sandwell Council in partnership with Queen’s Square Shopping Centre has offered empty shop windows and spaces to local artists, arts organisations, arts groups and creative people to showcase their work from August 2010-March 2011.
The project aims to not only boost the appearance of Queen’s Square by providing a number of colourful and attractive displays, but also bring in more visitors and appeal to businesses looking to move into the shopping centre. Keep an eye out for the changing displays in the empty shop windows from local artists and community groups and get involved in some of the free arts activities organised in the Shopping Centre.
Photographs by Keith Bloomfield showing work from Queen’s Square projects during 2010.
Sandwell Arts in Queen’s Square What’s going on? Shop units 16-20 external windows 23 window 40-43 Community Gallery Space 40-43 Community Gallery Space 26 Community Artspace 26 Community Artspace 26 Community Artspace 26 Community Artspace
26 Community Artspace
26 Community Artspace
26 Community Artspace 26 Community Artspace 26 Community Artspace
26 Community Artspace
Artwork Photographs of local creative people taken by Sandwell College Photography Students vinyled on to shop windows Images from the ‘6 Word Stories’ project run by Multistory vinyled on to shop window Exhibition of paintings, sculpture, textiles and handmade jewellery by ARTIST group, artists of all ages and nationalities. Sandwell Third Age Arts STAA is exhibiting art work created by older people with mental health needs including people with dementia who participate in its programmes of creative activities. ARTIST group exhibition with demonstrations. A diverse group of artists from all ages and nationalities displaying painting, sculpture, textiles and jewellery making. ARTIST group exhibition launch – all welcome!
Date ongoing
Time all
Cost FREE
November onwards
all
FREE
7 December – 31 January 1 February – 31 March
Shopping centre opening times Shopping centre opening times
FREE
10 – 23 January
10am-4pm
FREE
12 January
12-2pm
FREE
ARTIST open workshops all day for all. Come and make a gift bag to take home! Live extracts from a comedy drama with a strong local flavour. The co-authored script has been written to reflect the area and contains speech styles from Black Country dialect to Jamaican patois by Suzan Spence and Robert Warrington. The performance is followed by a playwriting workshop. Smethwick’s GIANT storyteller and poet, Adrian Johnson, introduces the Black Country GIANT. Join Adrian in National Storytelling week on Saturday 29 January and swap family stories and memories of your own local, GIANT acts of bravery and kindness. In a series of daily, public events and exchanges, between 1pm and 4pm Adrian shares the truly fabulous and inspiring tale of the Black Country’s greatest, living GIANT, the man that inspired William Shakespeare and taught the king of England a powerful and unforgettable lesson – for life www.kindandgenerous.weebly.com/giant.html An opportunity to explore and represent the identity of Sandwell through workshops on collage, documentary and plaster casting with artists Jeanette Deen, Emma Little and Tessa J. Stevens. www.queensprojectspace.weebly.com ‘Striking women’ exhibition looking at women workers battle for more pay, equal rights, and union recognition to mark international women’s day on 8th March. Come and draw with the extraordinary drawing machines – drop in drawing workshops open to all with kinetic sculptor Jim Bond. Visit a corner of Ireland around St. Patrick’s Day! Sandwell Irish Society invites you to see our displays and enjoy Irish craft, music, language and storytelling workshops. Details from Siobhan 0121 553 4402. Tricks, Traps and Transformations: Illusion in Victorian Spectacular Theatre. Come and see our spectacular closing exhibition and be amazed by Jeremy Rucker and Sandwell College Photography Department.
19 January
10am-4pm
FREE
27 January
Performance 1-2pm Workshop 2.10-3pm
FREE
FREE
Sat 29 January – 1-4pm Sat 19 February 2011 (except Sundays)
FREE
21 February – 6 March
10am-4pm
FREE
7-8 March
10am-4pm
FREE
9 March
10am-4pm
FREE
14 – 18 March
21 – 31 March
FREE
10am-4pm
FREE