“This archive shares what was going on in society, what was going on in the world and what was going on in a place like Sandwell, where industrialisation was being wiped out and we were moving into a new territory. Going into that territory then we said, we’re not going to do the art for you, we’re going to co- produce with you we know how to make things and make things look good and tell stories, but we’ll work with you because these are your stories. This isn’t art that only artists make, this is art that artists and communities and young people make together, and this had an enormous impact and resonated with what was going on in society. That’s what makes it so exciting, it’s not just a document and an archive about an arts process or practice, it’s about the way people lived together and worked together, and what they could achieve together. n the 1970s times were tough, rather like today. I hope the Jubilee archive will be a revelation to today’s young people, showing just how creative and community-spirited their parents and grandparents were when they were young. Forty years on, that same community spirit is needed more than ever.”
– Steve Trow, one of the founder members of Jubilee Arts
Our intention and approach to the project was to work with materials from the Jubilee Arts Archive 1974-94 and engage with local communities in Sandwell to create a bespoke web site and a series of local exhibitions.
The project:
– engaged with a wide range of individuals and groups in diverse settings
– created bespoke events and workshops in response to the interest shown by local groups
– created unique content that enabled us to design a substantial website to share the Jubilee Arts Archive
– exceeded our personal targets in terms of participants and in terms of audiences
– gained substantial publicity for the archive project, with regular features in local newspapers and news media
– inspired and motivated local groups to work with professionals and develop their own project proposals through practical planning sessions and by introducing them to potential supporters and funding streams as the project progressed.
The web site www.jubileeartsarchive.com features over 2500 images, along with 24 case studies of projects from the period 1974. The case studies provides an account of project aims and objectives from oral history interviews. In addition to the photographic material, we found original moving image that was recorded on 8m film as well as VHS material. Substantial amounts of this footage have been digitised and used throughout the project to share the archive.
The project was supported by Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England, Community Development Foundation, Sandwell M.B.C.