heritage volunteers
Whilst some members of the Arts Society just want to attend lectures, other creative members want to attend workshops together and others are keen to preserve the artistic and cultural heritage of Birmingham and the West Midlands. Indeed, the charitable status of The Arts Society UK is based, in part, on the existence of volunteers across the country working on heritage projects in their area.
All groups undertake valuable work, often under the supervision of restoration experts or with guidance from teaching groups where we are providing materials for use in schools.
CURRENT PROJECTS
School Visits to Places of Worship in Birmingham
The Arts Society Birmingham has produced, free-of-charge, illustrated guides for school groups visiting six places of worship in Birmingham. Encouraged by Florian Schweizer (Chief Executive), Arts Society member, Liz Dancey, has coordinated the project which was launched at the National AGM in 2017. It includes virtual tours as well as wonderfully colourful illustrated guides and quizzes. A truly fantastic resource for teachers, pupils and anyone interested in the different religions.
The resources may be viewed by clicking on this link: https://www.birminghamfaithvisits.co.uk.
In addition to the tours and guides, a resource pack of follow up arts related activities for children in Key Stage 2 (primary) is being developed.
The activities include:
- Glass windows
- Stories to share
- Tiles and mosaics
- Islamic art
- Patterns and circles
- Story of a building
- Rock painting
- Calligraphy and illuminated manuscripts
- Kindness quilt
- Symbol of a candle
- Food and service
- Mindfulness and Buddha board art
The Arts Society Birmingham would like to thank the Westhill Endowment Trust for a grant of £10,000, Paul Davies of VYKA for producing the films, the Birmingham Faith Encounter Programme for allowing us to use their material and Birmingham Faith Leaders for their guidance and support.
The places of worship with whom we have collaborated include: Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha Gurdwara, Shri Venkateswara Balaji Temple, Birmingham Progressive Synagogue, Birmingham Buddhist Vihara, Birmingham Cathedral and Birmingham Central Mosque.
We would love to receive your comments and feedback. Please contact:
birminghamfaithvisits@gmail.com.
COMPLETED PROJECTS
- Textile Volunteers have completed a project to stitch long kneelers for a chapel in Stonyhurst College in Lancashire following a design produced by Helen McCook, who worked on the embroidery for the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress.
- An audit of the Gun Barrel Proof Museum prior to its accreditation.
- Cataloguing and cleaning the Franklin Collection of Chinese ceramics, usually on display in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (currently closed for refurbishment).
- Renovation of a 200-year-old Trophy of Arms at the Gun Barrel Proof House – a two-year project which included dismantling, cleaning and polishing over 1,000 metal parts before reassembling and returning to display on the main staircase of the Proof House.
- Work was completed on textiles for Harvington Hall, Coughton Court and the Birmingham Oratory and we have also worked on conserving Victorian church Banners.
- A wonderful collection of photographs of historic vestments at St. Chad’s Cathedral taken by Dr. John Davis, with a comprehensive catalogue compiled by Dr. Margaret Davis, were presented to Canon Browne at St. Chad’s Cathedral.
- A group cleaned the silver collection at the Birmingham Assay Office under the guidance of Dr Sally Baggott, the Curator and Archivist, in preparation for the bicentenary celebrations to mark the death of Matthew Boulton.
- Heritage Volunteers worked in the Special Collections Archive and the book conservation project, both at Birmingham University.
