What’s on in Walsall – July 2026

Festivals and live music to wow at Walsall Arboretum

Broadway North, Walsall WS1 2QB

WOW! Fest 2026 – Walsall Outdoor Wonders

Friday 3 – Saturday 4 July 2026. Free tickets.

This outdoor arts festival is produced by Autin Dance Theatre in partnership with Walsall Council and local organisations.

This summer, WOW! Fest will bring together an exciting programme of outdoor arts, dance, puppetry, circus acts and community participation at Walsall Arboretum. This free event is all about enjoying nature, fun creative activities, live performances and great vibes under the open sky together. The programme includes work from dance theatre groups, emerging local talent and community performers. Tickets for WOW! Fest are free and you can reserve yours via the Eventbrite website.

Bandstand Bonanza – On the Centre Green

Sunday 5 July 2026. Free entry.

A day of fun, food and festivities comes to the Centre Green at Walsall Arboretum (by the Visitor Centre & Café). Join Walsall Music Education Service for hours of live music from all its ensembles and soloists. The day promises music from beginner groups to senior ensembles and bands: strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, Jazz, and Rock 'n' Pop! Find out more on the Walsall Music Education Service website. 

Walsall Music Education Service is supported using public funding by Department of Education (DoE) and Arts Council England.

July at The New Art Gallery Walsall

Gallery Square, Walsall WS2 8LG

Tuesday–Saturday 10am-4.30pm | Sunday 11am-4pm | Closed Mondays and Bank Holidays

Stitchety Workshops

Thursday 2 July 2026, 10am-12pm.

Tickets: £5.00 / £4.50 for concessions. Book online via the Eventbrite website. 

This summer, join artist Kate Tilley for an exciting monthly Stitchety workshop, where you can learn or develop new skills in sewing, crochet, knitting and embroidery. This session will focus on making your own felt dolls’ clothes.

What Grows In Between (Opening in July, be the first to see)

Preview: Thursday 9 July, 6pm-8pm, all are welcome.

Friday 10 July – Sunday 11 October 2026. Free admission, Floor 4.

The New Art Gallery Walsall is pleased to present What Grows In Between, a group exhibition of newly commissioned work made during the third iteration of Assembly, a development programme for local artists held in partnership with arts organisation, Multistory. This year, the gallery has supported Dan Booth, Abraham Babajide Cole and Hannah Rollason. Through painting, sculpture and installation, the artists explore connection and transformation as ways of navigating uncertain times. To find out more about the artists, visit The New Art Gallery Walsall's dedicated webpage - What Grows In Between.

Ten.8 afterimage

On display until Sunday 13 September 2026. Free admission, Floor 3.

Curated by Pelumi Odubanjo. A partnership project between The New Art Gallery Walsall and International Curators Forum.

Ten.8 afterimage explores the legacy and enduring impact of Ten.8 (1979-1992), a photography journal that emerged from the Midlands’ racial cultural and political landscape. This new exhibition engages with the continued relevance of the contexts and concerns that the original journal addressed, such as Black British cultural politics, feminist movements, gay and lesbian rights, and struggles with apartheid, colonialism, and state violence. It will present a newly commissioned work by British Ghanaian visual artist, Heather Agyepong, alongside works by a whole host of talented artists.

BSL Tour of Ten.8 afterimage with Olivier Jamin

Saturday 4 July, 2pm-3pm.

Free. Accessible for both deaf and hearing audiences. A BSL interpreter will be in attendance for voice-over translation. To book, email: alex.jolly@walsall.gov.uk or text 07845 878 727.

Spark Young Writers

Saturday 4 July, 10.30am-12.30pm. £10.00 per session (free spaces are available).

Creative writing group aimed at young people in school Years 4, 5, 6 and 7 (Ages: 8-12 years old). Booking is essential via the Spark Writers website.

Sunday Art Club, 12pm-3pm

Free, drop-in. Ages four years old and above.

• Sunday 5 July – Tinted Photographs – Add a playful hint of colour to black and white photos using watercolour paints.
• Sunday 12 July – Foil Embossed Patterns – Emboss metal foil with patterns inspired by South Asian truck art.
• Sunday 19 July – Draw with Shadows – Play with light, shadows and hand gestures to create striking silhouettes.
• Sunday 26 July – Square Features – Draw nine facial features to create a single artwork.

Baby & Me

Wednesday 8 July, 10.30am-12pm and 12.30pm-2pm.

£4.00 per child – advanced booking is essential. To book call 01922 654 400 or visit the gallery’s main reception. Ages: from newborn to two-years-old.

Multi-sensory sessions for parents, carers and their babies.

Summer Holiday Activity – Butterflies, Bugs & Moths

Available from Tuesday 21 July – Sunday 30 August 2026, 10am-4pm.

Free, drop-in. All ages welcome.

Get creative making a colourful bug using simple paper craft.

Wednesdays For All, 11am-3pm

Free, drop-in. Ages four years old and above.

• Wednesday 22 July – Clay Hippos – Celebrate Walsall’s famous hippo by making your own sculpture in clay.
• Wednesday 29 July – Animal Headbands – Look like your favourite animal by adding funky ears, antlers or horns to a headband.

Young Masters – Painting Still Life in Acrylics

Thursday 23 July, 11am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm.

£5.00 per child – advanced booking is essential as numbers are limited. Ages six years old and above.

Join artist, Alex Fawson for this painting masterclass. Learn how to use colour and tone to describe 3D objects using acrylic paint, a variety of brushes and canvas board to create a beautiful still life painting.

Mini Makers – Animal Clay Play

Tuesday 28 July, 11am-1pm.

£4.00 per child. Ages two to five years old.

Mould, pinch and squeeze clay into fun animals just like our own Frisky the Dog. Also, animal themed play in our sensory sand tray.

Holding Space: Artist Development Programme

Open call application deadline: Wednesday 29 July 2026. Apply online via the OutsideIn website.

Outside In in partnership with The New Art Gallery Walsall is launching Holding Space, a new artist development opportunity for Midlands-based artists who face barriers to accessing the arts.

Delivered across four months at the gallery, the programme will support 10 artists through sessions focused on artist statements, funding applications, curatorial practice, portfolio development, and sustaining creativity. It has been designed to support artists in developing their confidence, building peer connections, and strengthening pathways into the arts sector.

Each selected artist will receive a £40 bursary to support travel costs. Contact anupama.gamanagari@outsidein.org.uk for any questions.

Session dates:

• Thursday 17 September 2026

• Thursday 15 October 2026

• Thursday 12 November 2026

• Thursday 10 December 2026

• Thursday 14 January 2027 – Online feedback session

The open call deadline for this programme is Wednesday 29 July 2026. Those wanting to take part can fill in the application form by visiting the OutsideIn website. 

July activities at Walsall Libraries

Aldridge Community Library | Bloxwich Community Library | Brownhills Community Library | Darlaston Community Library | Lichfield Street Hub & Walsall Archives | Streetly Community Library | Willenhall Community Library

Visit the Libraries webpages on Walsall Council's website for opening times.

Activities for Adults:

Aldridge Community Library:

• Wednesday 8 July – 4.45pm-5.45pm: Reading Group

• Every Tuesday – 2pm-3.30pm: Reading Friends

• Every Wednesday – 2pm-3.30pm: Knit & Natter

• Every Friday – from 1pm: Scrabble Club (drop-in anytime)

• Every Saturday – 10am-2pm: Board Games

Bloxwich Community Library:

• Thursday 16 July – 11am-12pm: Reading Group (£1 entry for refreshments)

• Every Wednesday – 2pm-3.30pm: Reading Friends

• Every Friday – from 10am-12pm: Knit & Natter

Brownhills Community Library:

• Tuesday 28 July – 2.15pm-3.15pm: Reading Group

• Every Thursday – 1pm-3.30pm: Crafts for All (small charge applies)

• Every Friday – 11am-12.30pm: Reading Friends

• Every Saturday – 10am-4pm: Board Games

Darlaston Community Library:

• Every Thursday – 10am-11.30am: Reading Friends

Lichfield Street Hub:

• Wednesday 1 July – 2.30pm-3.30pm: Loose Leaves Reading Group

• Thursday 2 July – Murder They Wrote: Crime Reading Group

Streetly Community Library:

• Wednesday 1 July – 11am-12pm: Reading Group

• Wednesday 8 July – 10.30am-12pm: Poetry Club

• Tuesday 21 July – 11am-12pm: Crime Club Reading Group

• Every other Tuesday – 10am-12pm: Chess Club

• Every Friday – 10am-11.30am: Reading Friends

Willenhall Community Library:

• Wednesday 8 July – 4.30pm-5.30pm: Reading Group

• Every Tuesday – 12.30pm-2.30pm: Knit & Natter

• Every Wednesday – 2pm-3.30pm: Wednesday Friends

Knit, Stitch & Chat Extra

Streetly Community Library, Blackwood Road, Streetly, Sutton Coldfield B74 3PL

Wednesdays (1 Jul, 8 Jul, 15 Jul, 22 Jul, 29 Jul 2026), 10am-12pm.

Free. Knit, Stitch & Chat Extra offers a smaller, more casual space to work on your projects and enjoy some friendly conversation. Bring your craft and connect with others who share your passion.

Coding Club

Lichfield Street Hub, Walsall WS1 1TR

Saturdays (4 Jul, 11 Jul, 18 Jul, 25 Jul 2026), 10am-12pm.

Free, drop-in or stay for the full session. Coding Club is the perfect place to learn and grow. Open to all ages, these sessions cover the basics of programming and offer support for more advanced learners too.

Autism Friendly Group

Lichfield Street Hub, Walsall WS1 1TR

Tuesday 14 July, 2pm-3.30pm.

Admission is £1.00. The Autism Friendly Group offers a safe, relaxed space for autistic adults aged 18 years old and above to connect, share experiences, and enjoy gentle social interaction. Staff from Autism West Midlands attend these sessions to provide support, advice and guidance.

Activities for Little Ones – starting in the school holidays:

Aldridge Community Library:

• Wednesdays: 22 July and 29 July – 10.30am-11.30am: Story and Craft – sessions for ages four to 11 years old. Booking required, please call: 01922 655 569

• Thursday 23 July – 10am-10.45am: Rhyme Time – stories, rhymes and music for pre-school little ones from newborn to three years old. Drop-in anytime.

• Friday 31 July – 10am-12pm: Lego® drop-in session – free play Lego® and Duplo.

Bloxwich Community Library:

• Friday 24 July – 10.30am-11.30am: Summer Rhyme Time – story and rhyme session for those aged under five years old. Booking required, call: 01922 655 900

• Saturday 25 July – 10.30am-11.30am: Lego® Club – story time followed by Lego® building. Booking required, call: 01922 655 900

Brownhills Community Library:

• Wednesday 22 July – 10.30am-11.30am: Recycled Rockstars – fun crafts using old CDs and other recycled items. Booking required, call: 01922 650 750

• Wednesday 29 July – 10.30am-11.30am: Boogie-Woogie Animal Band – story and craft to make fun musical instruments. Ages: four to 11 years old. Booking required, call: 01922 650 750

Lichfield Street Hub:

• Thursday 30 July – 10.30am-11.30am: Harry Potter Crafts – spellbinding crafts and activities. Booking required, please call: 01922 653 121 

Streetly Community Library:

• Wednesday 22 July – 10.30am-11.30am: Story and Craft – animal themed story and craft for ages four to 11 years old. Booking required, call: 01922 654 864

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

IMAGE CAPTIONS:

• What Grows In Between.jpg - (Image credit: Dan Booth, Plaiting of the Hair, 2026, oil on canvas. Courtesy the artist.)

• Ten-8_Critical-Decade_After-Image_019 - Survival 26.jpg - (Credit: Heather Agyepong, Survival ’26, 2026, commissioned by The New Art Gallery Walsall and International Curators Forum. Ten.8 afterimage exhibition installation shot, The New Art Gallery Walsall in partnership with International Curators Forum (ICF), 2026. Photo: David Rowan.)

WOW! (Walsall Outdoor Wonders) Fest

Tickets are free and can be reserved on the Eventbrite website: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wow-fest-2026-walsall-outdoor-wonders-walsall-arboretum-tickets-1986199673691 

Bandstand Bonanza – On the Centre Green

Walsall Music Education Service is supported using public funding by Department of Education (DoE) and Arts Council England. Find out more: www.walmused.co.uk 

The New Art Gallery Walsall

Find out more about upcoming exhibitions by visiting: thenewartgallerywalsall.org.uk 

Walsall Libraries & Archives

• Aldridge Community Library, Rookery Lane, Aldridge WS9 8NP

• Bloxwich Community Library, High Street, Bloxwich WS3 2DA

• Brownhills Community Library, Park View Centre, Chester Road North, Brownhills WS8 7JB

• Darlaston Community Library, 1 King Street, Darlaston WS10 8DE

• Lichfield Street Hub & Walsall Archives, Lichfield Street, Walsall WS1 1TR

• Streetly Community Library, Blackwood Road, Streetly B74 3PL

• Willenhall Community Library, Walsall Street, Willenhall WV13 2EX

For opening times of all Walsall’s libraries, please visit: go.walsall.gov.uk/walsall-libraries/our-libraries