Midlands Mosaics Wants Your Stories

Residents of Redditch are being invited to attend workshops run by the Midlands Mosaics project to share their stories about their connections to the famous Paolozzi Mosaic artworks.

As part of the Midlands Mosaics (formerly From Mosaics to Pixels) project, University of Birmingham researchers are giving art lovers of Redditch the chance to talk about their personal relationships to the mosaic masterpieces which are visible in the Kingfisher Shopping Centre.

On Friday the 16th of February from 12am till 4pm at Redditch Library, the people of Redditch will be able to immerse themselves in remembering their stories connected to the mosaics, along with the opportunity to take part in activities such as badge making and colouring pages inspired by the striking mosaics.

A second workshop will take place on Saturday the 24th of February from 11am till 3pm outside The Range, Coffee #1, and Next in the Kingfisher Shopping Centre. Locals will once again be given the opportunity to be interviewed about their thoughts and feelings on the Eduardo Paolozzi pieces to make content for the newly reimagined Midlands Mosaics website.

Leader of the Council, Cllr. Matt Dormer, said: ‘The Paolozzi Mosaics are well known by Redditch residents and many have a connection to them in some way. This project’s goal to increase our understanding of the artwork through conversations with local people is a wonderful opportunity to reminisce about how the town has changed and grown over the 40 years since the mosaics were installed.’

The vibrant pieces spark the perfect opportunity to explore the colourful associations of Redditch, as the workshops aim to contribute to the newly launched Colours of Redditch project by Reimagine Redditch. This project will aim to create colour palette that represents Redditch through different forms of consultation, including these Midlands Mosaics workshops.

Cllr. Matt Dormer added: ‘Midlands Mosaics, along with its link to the Reimagine Redditch project, shows the importance of the town as a cultural destination in the Midlands. Our desire to continually learn more about the history of our town is reflected in this project giving residents the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane and get creative.’

The Midlands Mosaic project is a collaboration between researchers from the University of Birmingham and Reimagine Redditch, aiming to explore the connection between art and industry in the Midlands region using the stories of those who live and work in the region. The project team are constantly adding to the resources they provide, with the ambition to eventually provide education packs for the delivery of workshops in schools.

To find out more visit https://midlandsmosaics.uk/ or email Niall and Dorothy at info@midlandsmosaics.uk