People and communities
New Creative festival to transform Walsall town centre this September
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This September, from St Matthew’s and The Crossing to Saddlers Shopping Centre and Gallery Square, Walsall will be transformed into a festival of creativity, showcasing diverse talents from across the borough.
Walsall MakerFest 2024 opens on Saturday 7 September 2024, from 11am to 5pm. The event promises live music, dance, storytelling, hands-on workshops, pop-up shops, fashion shows, street food, a makers' market and much more. It will be a wonderful celebration of the rich and diverse creative community within Walsall and the Black Country.
The jam-packed schedule for the day will include:
Makers' Market - Alongside Walsall’s usual Saturday traders, the Makers' Market will showcase creators from across the Black Country. Expect a diverse array of street food, ceramics, jewellery, beauty products, prints, and more.
Innovative Workshops - Participate in workshops featuring recycled robots, prosthetic make-up, leather crafting, and music made by mushrooms!
Dynamic dance showcases featuring Bhangra, break dance, Bulgarian folk, and street dance performances.
Storytelling and Making - Experience readings from Wolverhampton’s Poet Laureate 2022-24, Dr. Kuli Kohli along with stories being told by and for all generations.
Fashion Extravaganza - Fashion show presented by Walsall College students and jewellery making demonstrations by Birmingham prestigious School of Jewellery, Birmingham City University.
Performance and Parades – This will include a performance and a parade from Autin Dance Theatre’s ‘Out of the Deep Blue’ featuring a giant puppet inspired by themes of the climate emergency. There will also be choreographed flash mobs, street theatre and a few performance surprises along the way.
“ Walsall MakerFest is set to be an unforgettable celebration of our borough's incredible creative talent and will be a real boost for the town centre. I am incredibly proud of all the work that has been put in to bring this festival together. From dance performances from over 20 dance companies to creative workshops from local craft makers, there's something for everyone.
I encourage everyone to join us as we transform our town centre into a vibrant hub of creativity. Let's come together to support our local makers and experience the magic they bring to Walsall. “
“ We are thrilled to be working with Walsall Council to bring this vibrant, creative festival to life and I look forward to showcasing the diverse talent and creativity that the region has to offer. The programme is packed full of really exciting activities and displays and there’s something for everyone to enjoy and take part in. It’ll be a great celebration of creativity and one not to miss. “
In addition to the festival's main day, kite making workshops have been taking place across the borough throughout the summer. Come and join Afghan Kite Maker Fahim Zazai for ‘Let’s Fly Kites’ on Sunday 8 September 2024, from 2 - 5pm when we will fly kites in the beautiful Country Park at Walsall Arboretum.
The creativity doesn’t end here! There will be a series of associated satellite activities extending through to spring 2026. These ongoing celebrations will include workshops, performances, a photography symposium, creative cafés and an exhibition at The New Art Gallery Walsall along with a second MakerFest in Summer 2025.
For more information on activities on the day and festival updates visit the Walsall MakerFest Instagram page @MakerFestWalsall and @ourwalsall.
ENDS.
Notes to the editor
Walsall MakerFest is being delivered by Walsall Council in partnership with local non-profit Urban Hax CIC, The New Art Gallery Walsall and Walsall Cultural Compact. It has been supported by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)’s Cultural Development Fund: Round Three through Arts Council England.
Walsall is in the middle of a £1.5billion programme of transformation, having secured considerable investment and grant funding. Under the Walsall Town Deal, Walsall Council is in the process of developing the Guildhall into a Creative industries enterprise centre, which will be a vibrant hub of creativity in partnership with Urban Hax CIC.
Walsall MakerFest aims to spark the town’s creativity and build momentum for the opening of the new Creative Industries Enterprise Centre which will provide space and facilities for a number of creative businesses.
We are Walsall 2040 is the Council’s long-term plan to transform Walsall to be the most improved borough in the region, a vibrant place where people are proud to live and residents in all neighbourhoods have the same life chances.
Read more about the We are Walsall 2040 plan on the Council’s website: We are Walsall 2040 | Walsall Council
