Images from Vaisakhi 2010

Hello folks,

See below images from last Saturday’s Vaisakhi, which attracted around 1400 people who enjoyed a great festive atmosphere with traditional Sikh dances, music, martial arts, family friendly workshops and a theatre play performed within the Garman Ryan Galleries.

Opportunity for artists – Working Parts

Open Sesame Artist Event
To discuss practice around disability and explore potential for new work

Tuesday 11 May, 5pm -7pm

You are invited to a social event for artists to discuss practice around disability and explore potential for new work. WORKING PARTS, the Black Country Arts and Disability Network, is hosting a two-hour event on Tuesday 11May, 5pm – 7pm to encourage a discussion about the arts and disabled people. The free event, with refreshments, will take place at The New Art Gallery Walsall, Gallery Square, Walsall, WS2 8LG.

WORKING PARTS’ steering group members from Black Country Touring, Walsall Council Creative Development Team, The Arena Theatre Wolverhampton and Multistory in Sandwell will facilitate an informal discussion about how artists are creatively thinking about disability; look at potential training needs and offer artists the chance to sign up to the WORKING PARTS arts and disability hub, all of which aim to increase potential work opportunities.

To find out more information and book a place please email Alan McLean alan@bctouring.co.uk by Friday 30 April or call 0121 552 0014.

Feel free to pass this invitation to other local artists who may not be on our mailing list.

Check out news about Working Parts activity at www.workingparts.co.uk

The venue is accessible with parking available, accessible toilets and wheelchair access to all public areas. If you have further access requirements for the event, please contact or use our access booking form which you can download by following link.
Due to limited resources we can only provide access when requested in advance.

In 2009 WORKING PARTS led a two day training event for artists and disabled children. The event you have been invited to in 2010, hopes to identify training needs of artists who are creatively thinking about disability.

What follows is a summary of feedback by artists who attended WORKING PARTS training last year, which was free and happened at Newhampton Arts Centre and Penn Hall school in Wolverhampton. This year we hope to do something different, whilst continuing to be practical rather than theoretical.

The training was better than anything I could have imagined, lots of excellent advice and information, some really valuable hands-on experience, the opportunity of working with artists, and examples based on different disciplines to help think “outside the box”. The best experience was working with children and the timing of it, we had a day and a half of preparation. The facilitators were excellent people, brilliant communication and management skills, always proactive energetic supportive.

The training was far more practical and more enjoyable than I’d expected. Learning was done through real demonstrations rather than a dry presentation format, which made it feel more relevant and useful. The fact that I wanted more time to discuss each presentation was a reflection of how useful and enjoyable they were.

I definitely feel more confident I was extremely nervous before the training days and now I’m much more comfortable in my potential ability to run an accessible workshop. In the short time we had I feel that a huge number of topics were covered, it was a lovely group of inquisitive “trainees” and very understanding and empathetic trainers.

I definitely feel more confident I was extremely nervous before the training days and now I’m much more comfortable in my potential ability to run an accessible workshop. In the short time we had I feel that a huge number of topics were covered, it was a lovely group of inquisitive “trainees” and very understanding and empathetic trainers.

Brilliant experience, the facilitators were helpful, constructive and supportive. I enjoyed the doing rather than being talked to, the training is very active and a great deal gets done. It has changed my perspective on how I always felt I had to structure my workshops – Why? They’ll change now. The difference the training has made is that the trepidation has been removed and I feel confident to do workshops with disabled children.

The best thing was doing the workshop with young people at the school, at the start I didn’t think it would be. The difference that it has made, is that I’m more aware now, of how to adapt what I’m doing. To be able to include everyone, no matter what their capabilities are. I’m prepared for the unexpected, and have a framework with tools to be able to adapt to different situations and people.

Funded by Arts Council England

See blog http://www.workingparts.co.uk/
Follow us on twitter http://twitter.com/disabilitywm

PARTY PIECE by Lucienne Cole – Final Rehearsals at The New Art Gallery Walsall Apr 2010

Have a look below at images from yesterday’s final rehearsals for Lucienne Cole’s performance and event PARTY PIECE with dancers from Walsall Academy of Dance and Birmingham Metropolitan College and live muisc by the Senior Citizens’ Swing Band followed by a Tea Dance all happening on Saturday 10 april, 3pm – 5pm at The New Art Gallery Walsall. Tea and cake will be served. Free – All welcome.

http://thenewartgallerywalsall.org.uk/whats-on/event/lucienne-cole-party-piece