Karla Black, Study The Method Of The Theft, 2023. Glass jewellery boxes, acrylic paint. Photo: Ilona Zielinska (Elona Photographer).
The New Art Gallery Walsall is delighted to announce that following her major solo exhibition at the Gallery earlier this year, Karla Black’s artwork Study The Method Of The Theft, 2023 has been gifted to Walsall’s Permanent Collection by the artist.
A wall-based sculpture comprising of one hundred paint filled jewellery boxes in grid formation, Study The Method Of The Theft, 2023 brings to mind the desirable and carefully organised displays of sweet shops and make-up counters.
Stephen Snoddy, Director of The New Art Gallery Walsall, said: “We’re delighted accept this generous gift by a major Scottish artist, who has exhibited globally over a twenty-year career and consistently pushed the boundaries of contemporary sculpture. The work will act as a wonderful reminder of Black’s major exhibition, her largest in the UK to date, which saw our Floor 3 spaces utterly transformed by her pastel and metallic sculptures.”
REFLECTOR, a new and unique professional development programme, open to emerging Photographers, Artists and Curators of Colour working with photography, who are based in England.
Produced by GRAIN Projects in partnership with The New Art Gallery Walsall, supported by Art Fund’s Reimagine programme.
REFLECTOR will empower participants and create new opportunities for collaboration and career development. The programme will take place over 10 months, starting in October 2023, and will include both online and in-person activities.
The programme will include mentoring, masterclasses, portfolio reviews, and networking opportunities. These activities are thoughtfully designed to boost professional development and empower artists to advance their creative pursuits to the next level.
Additionally, bursaries will be provided to support artists in creating new work and further enhancing their skills. Participants will learn directly from inspiring artists, mentors, projects and events. REFLECTOR will amplify and platform work as well as being a unique opportunity to learn and develop new skills. Participants will also receive support in developing CVs, statements, portfolios and creating new work for exhibition.
Up to 20 participants will be recruited to take part in the 10-month programme. All will be awarded a £1000 bursary to support their involvement.
Deadline: Sunday 9 October 2023 at midnight (GMT).
Launch of a new professional development programme and residency for emerging artists from diverse backgrounds, supported by Art Fund’s Reimagine programme.
GRAIN Projects and The New Art Gallery Walsall are delighted to announce the launch of REFLECTOR, a programme for and led by diverse artists, designed to empower artists and create new opportunities for collaboration and career development.
The programme will be holistic, based on need and will include mentoring, masterclasses, gallery tours, portfolio reviews, networking and bursaries to create new work. The activities will provide opportunities for participants to take their career and creativity to the next level, learning directly from inspiring artists, mentors, projects and events. Participants will also receive support in developing CVs, statements, portfolios and creating new work for exhibition.
As part of REFLECTOR, the organisations will provide an inclusive Professional Development Residency that is open to emerging artists, curators and producers working with photography, that contributes to their career development, skills, knowledge and opportunities for the future. The programme will be of the highest quality building on GRAIN and The New Art Gallery Walsall’s excellent work over the last eight years, supporting and developing artists through activities that include masterclasses, mentoring, internships, bursaries, residencies, portfolio reviews and advice sessions.
Up to 20 participants will be recruited to take part in the 10-month programme via a national Open Call Applications will open in September 2023 and will be promoted widely. All the participants will be awarded a £1000 bursary to support their involvement.
REFLECTOR is a partnership between GRAIN Projects and The New Art Gallery Walsall, supported by Art Fund’s Reimagine programme.
Following a successful funding bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund Dynamic Collections fund we are looking to expand the scope of what we do and to recruit some new panel members with an interest in our Collections and in making them accessible to the widest possible audience.
Together we have explored LGBTQ+ lives through our Collections, and our current project looks at Class and Identity. In 2024 we are due to focus on disability, neurodiversity and mental health.
We are looking for local people with a range of lived experiences to help us reflect and represent the people of Walsall with our Collections displays, to select the works they want to see exhibited, and the events they would like to accompany the exhibition programme. Join us to have your say on the Collections you own!
The panel meet roughly monthly, both in-person and online. You can join remotely or attend sessions at the Gallery. It is very flexible, and dates for meetings and events are decided democratically as a group. We are friendly and meetings are informal and welcoming. No knowledge/experience of art necessary! Just bring your own lived experiences! Panel members can choose to remain anonymous, and contribute as little or as much as you like or are able to. A nominal fee is given for attendance at meetings, or for contributions at events etc.
It’s a great way to meet new people from diverse walks of life, have active discussions and do advocacy work on topics important to you, get helpful work experience opportunities, and keep active for wellbeing.
If you are interested in exploring our Collections as part of this co-production project, or to find out more, please get in touch with our Collections Curator, Julie via julie.brown@walsall.gov.uk or by calling 01922 654419 to arrange an informal chat, either in person, over the phone, or online.
Grab your camera or phone and snap what is special, unusual or unique about Walsall’s high streets for a chance to be exhibited in an outdoor exhibition in Walsall town centre. Competition closes on Sunday 20 August 2023.
Historic England and GRAIN Projects are inviting local people to look at Walsall’s high streets as never before, capturing and celebrating the history and experiences of the places and people on the high street. Three winning photographs will be exhibited in Walsall this summer and seven runners up will be featured on Historic England’s website.
The New Art Gallery Walsall is delighted to collaborate with The Bumblebee Conservation Trust to offer one West Midlands-based artist the opportunity of studio space to support the creation of a legacy artwork, which is being commissioned by the Trust as part of Bee Inspired, a 2-year project taking place across the Black Country and Greater Birmingham. This initiative will connect diverse audiences and deliver lasting change within communities by empowering local people to care about bumblebees and initiate positive actions to help grow native populations in urban habitats.
Submissions open week commencing: 29 May 2023 Submissions close: 26 June 2023, 9am Shortlisting week commencing: 26 June 2023 Selected artist advised: 30 June 2023 Unsuccessful applicants advised: 30 June 2023 Announcement of selected artist: 3 July 2023 Please note: for capacity reasons, we are unable to engage in feedback to unsuccessful applicants.
Residency: 11 July – 24 September 2023
Deadline for final commission design: 11 August 2023 Bee Safari: 2 August 2023 Open studio event: 19 August 2023 Installation and launch of Legacy artwork commission: Spring 2024 TBC
The successful artist will receive:
Use of a fully-equipped artist studio in The New Art Gallery Walsall for the duration of the residency period, for research and making
Curatorial support while in residence
Support with access costs, if appropriate
Access to technical advice during the residency
A £4000 fee
£5,300 materials budget (this includes any weatherproofing, maintenance and install costs)
Outside In and The New Art Gallery Walsall have announced a three-year, creative partnership to support the arts and creative industries in the West Midlands. The chief aims of the collaboration are to champion and support artists facing significant barriers to the art world and to provide them with exciting opportunities and a space in which to create and exhibit new work.
The partnership springs from a shared commitment to support inclusion in the arts and to find and support artists in the Black Country and the West Midlands currently excluded due to health, disability, social circumstance, or isolation. It will enable a number of initiatives and collaborative projects designed to build stronger communities and create new audiences including a dedicated outreach programme, residencies and events. In addition, the partners are delighted to announce that The New Art Gallery Walsall will be the host venue for 2025’s Outside In National Open exhibition.
The New Art Gallery Walsall’s Director, Stephen Snoddy said:
“The New Art Gallery Walsall has over many years supported artists ‘on the ground’ in the West Midlands region through our residency and mentoring programme. Our partnership with Outside In will grow and diversify and create further opportunities for those artists who have additional barriers, with an aspiration of opening up connections for their work and careers.”
Marc Steene, Director of Outside In, comments:
“Our new partnership with The New Art Gallery Walsall will enable the further establishment of Outside In in the Midlands. Our association with respected arts organisations, such as The New Art Gallery Walsall, provides important validation and a vital opportunity for artists who have been, for too long, overlooked and not included in all that the arts can offer.”
José Sunshine-Okoro, Outside In’s Programme Manager for the Midlands, further adds:
“This is an excellent opportunity to continue to develop access to artists facing barriers and support them to engage with the arts sector. Working with The New Art Gallery Walsall over the last three years has offered Outside In artists’ bursaries, residences, developed their studio practice and enabled them access to opportunities to interact with curators. The New Art Gallery Walsall encourages diversity in its practices and this partnership will continue to grow our organisations and in turn support exposure of local artists within the cultural sector to increase their national profile.”
Here at The New Art Gallery Walsall, we endeavour to be welcoming, relevant and engaging to all of our communities and to provide and plan for a resilient future to support all of our programmes. The Gallery is owned by Walsall Council and is currently funded by the Council and Arts Council England. Those working in the Gallery are employees of Walsall Council.
The Development Trust’s aim is ‘to support and enhance’ the work of The New Art Gallery Walsall and as such it is important for the Trustees to have a variety of skills and experience. Given the nature of the Trust, alongside a keen interest in art and its place in the wider community, skills such as fundraising, marketing, legal, community engagement, education and digital are particularly relevant.
We are now looking to expand the range of skills and experience of our current Board of Trustees. We want to reflect the diversity and heritage of the West Midlands region in terms of age, gender and ethnicity. We are also keen to ensure that there is representation from particular groups such as people who are neurodiverse or those with disabilities.
There are 4 Trust meetings per year. Meetings can be attended online. Trustees are not paid for their time, but where appropriate we are able to reimburse trustees for expenses incurred in travelling to attend Trust meetings; for any access needs and/or childcare; or care of other dependants, while attending meetings. We would expect each new Trustee to commit to 3 years.
Further information is available upon request. If you are interested in supporting us to make positive changes please send an email to the Chair david.carver@carver-group.co.uk and cc Director stephen.snoddy@walsall.gov.uk and let us know why you would like to become a Trustee in less than 300 words.
Salary: G7 £27,514 – £31,895 (pro-rata) Contract: Job share 24.5 hours including Saturday working
The New Art Gallery Walsall opened in 2000 in the heart of Walsall town centre. Since then it has remained a significant venue for the visual arts regionally, nationally and internationally. Hosting a vibrant artistic programme, combining the very best in contemporary art with the Modern and the historic, the Gallery is also home to the renowned Garman Ryan Collection and a significant collection of contemporary works. The impressive and award winning building provides a truly unique place for visitors to enjoy, discover, learn from and participate in the visual arts.
We are seeking an enthusiastic and dynamic individual to join our team for the next exciting stage in the Gallery’s development. Your duties will include:
coordinating the planning and delivery of Front of House services in an efficient and effective manner
prioritising both visitor experience and customer care through enhancement and support of the artistic programme.
organisational and staff development, and the reporting of performance management information.
Previous managerial experience of working directly with the public in a visitor attraction role would be an advantage.
This post is covered by the Government’s Code of Practice on the English Language Fluency Duty for public sector workers. The post holder will be required to communicate verbally with customers and provide advice and/or information in accurate spoken English.
Walsall Council takes seriously the responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all the children, young people and adults entrusted to our care and it is our expectation that all staff will share this commitment. Completion of an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check is a requirement for this role.
Here at Walsall Council we are doing things differently and we have an ambition to transform the marketing approach. Tens of millions of pounds have been secured to transform Walsall and the promotion of the arts and our culture is an important part of that transformation.
We need an ambitious Senior Communications and Marketing Executive to showcase and promote our prestigious New Art Gallery. You will also support the marketing of other visitor destinations including The Arena and the Leather Museum.
Walsall’s New Art Gallery opened in 2000 and has remained a landmark venue for visual arts regionally, nationally and internationally. Hosting a vibrant artistic programme, the Gallery is also home to the renowned Garman Ryan Collection, celebrating the 50th year of the bequest in 2023 and a significant collection of contemporary art works.
If you have a passion for arts and events marketing, delivering compelling marketing campaigns and a desire to do things differently, we’d like to hear from you.
The Candidate:
This role requires a creative thinker who is comfortable with generating ideas and ensuring they are delivered brilliantly. The successful candidate will have proven experience in working on varied campaigns across the full marketing mix:
To view Job Description, Employee Specification and apply:
Key Responsibilities include:
Supporting the planning and delivery of campaigns and communications for the New Art Gallery and the other visitor destinations in Walsall
Developing engaging content for the venue’s social media accounts and its website and contributing to the community management of these accounts
Supporting events, launches and campaigns and communicating these to relevant audiences both regionally and nationally
Evaluating the success of campaigns and communications, capturing this and sharing these learnings
Collaborate with communications and marketing colleagues from partner organisations in the area and nationally
Support Walsall Council’s wider Communications, Marketing and Brand team with idea generation, campaign planning and sharing evaluations
Work with Print and Design colleagues to design the production of communication and marketing materials and ensure that work requests from internal colleagues are delivered on time
Support the wider Communications, Marketing and Brand team goals and help raise the profile of marketing within the organisation
We can offer a range of benefits including hybrid working and opportunities to develop within a team of marketing and communications specialists.
Location Walsall/ hybrid working
About the Walsall Visitor Destinations:
The New Art Gallery Walsall opened in 2000 in the heart of Walsall town centre. Since then it has remained a landmark venue for the visual arts regionally, nationally and internationally. The impressive and award-winning building provides a truly outstanding place for visitors to enjoy, discover, learn from and participate in the visual arts. The New Art Gallery Walsall
Walsall Arena hosts a programme of live events, comedy, dance, film and pantomimes. It has 7,000 square feet; state of the art lighting, video and sound systems; 600 seats and a standing capacity of 1,000. Walsall Arena
The Leather Museum in the Town Centre is an important part of Walsall’s heritage and focuses on the history and lives of those who worked in the leather trade. Walsall Leather Museum
This post is covered by the Government’s Code of Practice on the English Language Fluency Duty for public sector workers. The post holder will be required to communicate verbally with customers and provide advice and/or information in accurate spoken English.
