The Willenhall Art Project

If you're in Willenhall, you can't fail to notice a recent colourful addition to the wall of the Hagard Centre, on the side of the building nearest to the Village Green.
 This series of painted boards forms a timeline of Willenhall's history: 12th Century pilgrims trudging to St James' Chapel; farm labourers harvesting hay in the fields as Robert Stephenson surveys the building of the railway in the 1830s; the influx of workers who were called up for the war effort in the 1940s and stayed in the Chace National Service Hostel, followed by the arrival of displaced persons from all over the world at Baginton Fields after the war. All this is set against an exquisite backdrop celebrating Willenhall's important landmarks and natural beauty.
The project was organised and administrated by Jo Payne of Neighbourhood Action, and creatively directed by Kate Turner, a well-known community artist who has worked on many projects in Coventry over the last twenty years.
In November 2011, Kate approached the Willenhall Local History Group for information. She condensed masses of written and photograpic materials from the group's archives into the themes of journeying and change.
From November to March, the large back room at the Hagard was transformed into a workshop. Under Kate's guidance, the volunteers gained confidence and moved from priming backgrounds straight out of the tin, to mixing colours, cutting and applying stencils and even painting freehand figures into the landscape.
Many people who came along to have a look ended up swathed in plastic aprons and totally engrossed in art work. Even tiny preschoolers were able to make their mark with hand and footprints forming an effective backdrop for the top layer of images.

On June 23rd 2012, MP Jim Cunningham led the installation ceremony, after which all those who had been involved in the project gathered together in the Hagard Cafe for a celebration.