A People in Places digital commission
This is an exciting partnership commission between The Space and Creative Black Country as part of Making our Mark.
Are you a Walsall-based heritage / community / creative organisation or individual wanting to explore a particular story rooted in heritage that matters to the people of Walsall? Applicants from the wider region who can demonstrate a meaningful connection with people and place in the town are also eligible.
We are interested in hearing about heritage activities and experiences that bring our community together. This project should showcase the places that connect us, the histories that make us, or stories that inspire us.
This creative commission is delivered in partnership with Creative Black Country. The organisations will work together to help successful applicants build digital skills to produce the work, identify target audiences and provide support to reach them.
For this commission we are seeking projects that will deliver strong, original, and engaging digital output with clear plans about reaching audiences.
The details
What do we mean by digital output?
· The work can be of any type – audio, video, interactive (e.g. a game or a website), or immersive content such as 360-degree video, VR or mixed reality experiences.
· The project must produce a digital outcome that can be shared offline and online.
· In addition to the funding, if your application is successful, we can also provide support in areas where you may need help, e.g., digital production, content distribution and audience development.
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What do we mean by heritage?
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Cultural traditions – exploring the history and identity of different communities through things like dance, sport, food, theatre, clothing or language. This could be anything that’s passed down or brings people together.
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Nature – protecting local wildlife and green spaces or helping people feel more connected to the natural world around them.
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Oral histories – collecting and sharing people’s stories, songs and memories to help others understand the past and how things have changed.
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Commemorations and celebrations – marking important moments in time or telling the stories of people and places that matter to a community.
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What we want to achieve with you
1. Uncover: We seek the stories that haven’t been told yet – hidden in memory, community, and place.
2. Connect: Heritage only matters when it belongs to people. We bring communities into the heart of the work.
3. Carry Forward: We don’t preserve the past under glass. We pass it on, through digital, live, and shared experience.
4. Open: We make work that is accessible, inclusive, and free to share. Heritage belongs to everyone.
5. Responsible: We want to create work in an environmentally friendly way.
Project expectations and key dates
The successful project must aim to engage in the region of 18000 people through a range of experiences e.g. workshops, exhibitions, events, talks and sharing sessions, and digital experiences. We can work with you to make this is achievable.
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Investment
The total fee is £18,000 inclusive of VAT, covering the organisation’s time, research and development, resources, materials, and all project outcomes.
The successful commission will receive support for digital production and distribution expertise from The Space and CBC.
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Application process
· Proposal submission deadline: Monday May 25th 12.00 midday (this is a hard deadline, and no submissions will be accepted after this).
· All applications will be assessed by a panel of experts from across the heritage, creative and digital sector. The successful applicant will be notified the week beginning 6th July 2026.
· Applicants must be living or working in one of the four Black Country boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall or Wolverhampton.
· We are particularly interested in supporting individuals and organisations to create digital work of a kind that they have not delivered before.
How to apply
You can complete the online application and our equal opportunities monitoring form here.
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You can send us a video or audio proposal (max. 8 minutes) to [email protected]. Your proposal should cover the same questions we ask on the application form. Your application email must also include a completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form.
You can download the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form here.
To help with either application method you can download a draft copy of the questions here.
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Application support
If you have any questions or you need further support prior to submitting your application, please drop an email to our Heritage Adviser: [email protected]
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