Love, Life and Making

The Cultural Sisters were commissioned by Walsall Creative Development Team to create a piece of artwork to celebrate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) life and culture. We worked with the LGBT and wider community. The final artwork is now on a tour of Walsall as part of a community cohesion project.

During spring 2011 The Cultural Sisters worked with 70 people aged between 16 and 75 including students from Walsall College, members of Walsall LGBT group, people on a night out at the The Lion Bar and Club, members of Walsall Men’s Health Group and visitors to the New Art Gallery in Walsall.

After initial consultation with the LGBT group the artwork was created during several workshops in different venues.

All participants were asked to leave a message about love; these messages were made into tags that became part of the final artwork.

Students from Walsall College experimented with felt making and made a rainbow flag and heart.

At The Lion Bar and Club the participants made felt using the rainbow coloured wool and transformed it into badges decorated with beads.

The Men’s Health group and The LGBT group were asked to bring items relating to identity that were photographed and transferred onto the cover of the tags, they also made felt and needle felted words onto the flag.

Visitors to the art gallery had the opportunity to have a go at all aspects of the creative processes.

Some participants attended workshops at more than one venue and learnt new creative skills as well as encouraging others to have a go. Several people re-kindled their interest in art and planned to continue experimenting with their freshly acquired creative skills.

The artwork was initially displayed in a shop in Walsall as part of the community cohesion project and is currently touring Walsall.