Cultural Directory
(A-Z)
Art at the Heart CIC
Contact: office@artattheheartcic.org
Our mission: Realising dreams~supporting wellbeing~combating inequality through creative and cultural education.
Art at the Heart CIC is a multi-award-winning Solihull based non-profit arts organisation. Qualified artist educators (PGCE, TES FE Award for Outstanding Innovation in Teaching and Learning) offer creative and cultural workshops for young people in school and after-school via parent funded Art Clubs. Workshops are thematic, exploring world culture and current issues using the arts as a tool for thinking. They develop confidence, problem solving skills, resilience and support emotional wellbeing. Opportunities to exhibit are built into our Art Clubs. Our inspirational displays reflect our young artist's uniqueness.
As artists and experienced teachers, EDI/senior managers, we understand schools' challenges from multiple perspectives. We seamlessly combine in depth arts curriculum knowledge and wellbeing support with action for social justice, conscious of impact to meet targets. We are an Arts Award Centre, Artsmark trained, offer CPD for teachers and consultancy support for curriculum development. In 2022, we were recognised in the Solihull Civic Honours awards for Making a Difference to Young People.
ARTconnects
Contact: salma@artconnects.co.uk
We deliver award-winning high impact creative learning workshops to empower youth on global issues and teach them self expression and improve their confidence and mental health and promote equality and tolerance in communities. The workshops are led by Salma Zulfiqar who has worked for the United Nations all over the world and brings with her unique knowledge and experience to share with youth. In 2023 she was bestowed with a British Empire Medal in King Charles III Birthday Honours List for her services to the Arts and Education.
Big Brum Theatre in Education
Big Brum uses theatre and drama to help young people to make meaning of their lives and the world around them. Big Brum is an Arts Council NPO and an award-winning charity pioneered in 1982 to educate young people through Theatre in Education (TiE) learning programmes. We deliver most of our work in learning settings located in areas of high economic and social deprivation, where children and young people are least engaged with creativity and culture.
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Contact: learning@birmingham-rep.co.uk
We're all about the live experience... You can find us performing live on our three stages here in Birmingham (The House, The Door and The Studio), in the West End, or touring globally. We might pop up on your doorstep in local streets, in schools and colleges, in shops, parks and city squares.
The Rep's Creative Learning Programme delivers a huge partnership programme where schools, colleges and universities can have our highly experience Drama Practitioners support curriculums and advocate for theatre in schools. The Young Rep is The Rep’s celebrated youth theatre company for children and young people aged 7–18. Young Rep groups meet weekly at The Rep to create high quality performances working with professional theatre-makers. We provide our members with opportunities to develop their performance skills, learn how an exciting producing theatre works, and grow in confidence. Young Rep aims to nurture and inspire the next generation of theatre-makers through staging new work, devising original pieces of theatre and performing established texts. Young Rep is an inclusive environment that welcomes children and young people from all backgrounds. We have Satellite Young REPs across the city including Solihull Young REP which runs in the Core Theatre.
Bonanza Creative
Contact: emmi@bonanza-creative.org
We are a creative, educational organisation, who deliver free carbon monoxide awareness sessions for Yr's 2, 3, 5 & 6, using drama, dance, music, art and games. The sessions are fully funded by Cadent and all of the Yr 2 & 3 pupils receive a free goodie bag and CO Alarm and all of the Yr's 5 & 6 receive a pen, keyring and booklet as part of the session. Sessions are carried out in the classroom by our trained Arts Facilitators and take half a day. To book, go to: https://bonanza-creative.org/primary/#ks1
Calico
Contact: info@wearecalico.co.uk
Calico is a Birmingham-based arts and activism company. We are storytellers that listen, respond and rethink our world. We work closely with community groups, and particularly young people, to co-create artistic campaigns, encompassing theatre, dance and film, to fight against issues of gendered violence, and encourage others to use their own creativity for good.
The Core Theatre
Contact: 0121 704 6962
The Core is a popular multi-purpose arts venue in the heart of Solihull town centre. It is home to a 336 seat raked theatre (fully equipped technically with stage flying system, sound and lighting), plus a smaller Studio which seats up to 130, perfect for small scale theatre shows, music events, workshops, and more. The Core also has its own gallery, art and exhibition space called The Courtyard Gallery, which is available for hire for creative activities and art exhibitions.
The Core is also proud to be the host of Core Creatives, a fantastic creative hub open to people who live, work or study in the borough. It is a free programme which aims to help local creatives grow and develop their practice by supporting collaboration, experimentation and business growth. The Core also comprises of a library, across two floors, a heritage gallery, Encore café bar and Solihull Connect which provides face-to-face access to Solihull Council services.
Cris Wong Art Studio
Contact: criswongstudio@gmail.com
We focus on art education and skill development. We offer a wide range of courses, workshops, and training programs that cater to diverse interests and needs. Classes provided include Acrylic painting, water colour painting, calligraphy, sketching, and mixed media.
Giraffe Dance
Contact: info@giraffe-dance.com
Giraffe dance is an inclusive, professional, and caring dance company based in the West Midlands. It provides joyful and creative experiences in schools and community settings that are accessible to everyone.
At Giraffe dance, we are proud to offer inclusive dance sessions where everyone is not only welcomed but celebrated. Our qualified and experienced facilitators are committed to creating a supportive and encouraging environment where individuals of all backgrounds and abilities, can come together to experience the joy of dance.
Katie Holtom
Contact: www.katieholtom.co.uk/contact
I am a Midlands based Artist and Creative Producer, passionate about providing opportunity to emerging artists and supporting children and young people to access the arts and cultural sector.
As an artist, I facilitate workshops with schools and communities to co-create projects, specialising in physical theatre, dance and creative writing.
Music Monsters
Contact: lauren@musicmonsters.co.uk
Music Monsters is an award winning learn-through-play piano lesson programme created by Luke and Lauren Elliott, experts in children’s music education. We work with children in the community, to build a really solid foundation of musical skills, and engage families to bring music into their homes. We learn through FUN - games, missions and challenges! Children work in small groups, working together to create awesome ensembles, and making great friends as we do. Our students are at the heart of everything that we do, and we pride ourselves on being a fully inclusive music school. We nurture children, filling them with confidence in their abilities, supporting their mental well-being, and giving them the tools they need to become incredible musicians – but musicians that truly fall in love with the learning. Our students progress quickly, with opportunities to perform regularly and enter exams in they choose to.
Pickle Illustration
Contact: pickleillustration@gmail.com
Lauren and Liv, also known as Pickle Illustration, are an illustration duo based in Birmingham. Creating characterful and colourful outcomes, they produce both public art as well as print and digital artworks. Ranging from painted grasshopper trails to projected window animations, maps to murals, their aim is to always spread joy through illustration and to push the boundaries of where and what illustration can be.
Rachel Sambrooks
Contact: contact form via www.rachelsambrooks.com
I'm a freelance writer and performer who runs co-creating workshops and facilitates engagement with creative activity, mainly for wellbeing and to reduce social isolation. I like making connections with humour.
I've a children's poetry book - The Strangest Sandwich in the World, which was longlisted for the CLiPPA award, I love taking this into schools and sharing with students, encouraging them to make their own poetry.
Sampad
Contact: info@sampad.org.uk
Our flexible options include booking individual artists from a range of art forms including art, dance, drama, music, film making, martial arts; booking our Diwali performance ‘Spirit of Light’ (Touring 21st – 25th October) and staff CPD.
Associate Schools benefits include:
· Discounts on all our performances and creative workshops
· Full day’s Heritage CPD for 1 or 2 members of staff (7th October24)
· A two week residency of our acclaimed schools touring exhibition ‘City of Empire to City of Diversity – a Visual Journey’
· Bespoke offer to support your school’s individual needs and priorities.
Our three tier membership takes into account school/department budgets.
Skylar Mabry
Contact: skylar@parrabbola.co.uk
Creative producer with a background in theatre and community engagement. Currently working primarily with Parrabbola (a nomadic cultural organisation specialising in community arts), Skylar produces and manages creative and community engagement projects, in addition to facilitating workshops and sometimes performing. Passionate about making creative expression and meaningful community creativity available to those who might not otherwise seek out creative and cultural experiences.
Sohan Kailey
Contact: ozonepr@hotmail.com
Award Winning Performing Artist. Provides exciting cultural dance and storytelling workshops throughout schools. Vibrant Bhangra and Bollywood dance workshop to promote cultural diversity and healthy lifestyles. There are a wide variety of workshops to suit schools and link to the curriculum.
Tiger Features
Contact: nicola.prestage@tigerfeatures.com
My work includes documentary filmmaking, producing digital artwork, filming projects and events, I also teach/ facilitate film making projects within lots of different, diverse communities My film career started over a decade ago filming and producing adverts and customer insight films for clients such as L'Oreal, River Island, John Lewis, Jaguar and Ebay. My digital artwork has been displayed at various galleries throughout the UK including Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and along side Grayson Perry’s artwork at The National Trust. For the past 8 years I have filmed and produced documentaries that support my personal theme of love and acceptance, filming over 200 adults and children sharing their personal stories and lived experiences.
Urban Heard: Youth Engagement Specialist CIC
Vision: All teenagers to feel safe, supported & loved, in order to live a happy, healthy and fulfilled life.
Mission: Our mission is for all teenagers to have a safe space & opportunities to grow, develop, learn & express themselves.
Urban Heard is on a mission to work with disadvantaged/disaffected young people (YP) aged 14-17, involved in harmful behaviours, by providing quality peer-led behaviour change interventions, diversionary activities & quality mentoring. Building resilience & developing YP’s self-efficacy through training & empowering projects, giving skills, employment/bursaries and building confidence for a better future.
Our unique 3-staged model recruits, trains & empowers YP to deliver peer-created bespoke behaviour change campaigns in their community & online e.g.creating music, films, animations and film. This allows our projects to be youth-centred and peer-led, harnessing the power of positive peer pressure, whilst providing a safe, therapeutic and altruistic environment for all YP involved.
Vicky Chapple - ArtsandCraftsV
Contact: website Contact page
I’m a practicing artist in acrylics, and mixed media, and also teach in further education. I’ve exhibited my artwork in the Ikon Gallery, 2021, and The Herbert Museum & Art Gallery 2016 and 2023. Together with many local galleries across Warwickshire and Birmingham. I have also provided art and craft sessions to older people, eg BUPA, Age UK Birmingham, and early years for SureStart in Birmingham.
Wizzleworld Dramatics CIC
Wizzleworld Dramatics uses creative and performing arts skills to create wellbeing sessions across the borough. The core focus is on improving mental health in children.
