We are happy to announce that we've been commissioned by Creative Black Country to run two events celebrating the natural abundance, waterways and rich history of Bumble Hole nature reserve in Dudley.
The Roaming Flags of Bumble Hole will take place across the summer and will involve a sensory guided walk, a flag making workshop and a celebratory musical procession. The project is part of the Dudley Creates Summer of Creativity which will see art, colour and fun opportunities popping up in spaces and places across the Borough from June to September.
Our flags will be coloured with natural dyes made with plants found locally and the designs will be informed by participants' responses to the sensory guided walk. Inspired by Tibetan prayer flags, we shall be using five different colours: blue, white, red, green and yellow to represent the five elements of sky, air, fire, water and earth. Rather than being an exercise in patriotic territory claiming, the flags will represent nature asserting its own stake in the land.
The project will culminate in August with The Earth Parade: a public ceremonial procession of the flags around the reserve in which participants will be able to show off their designs and celebrate their collective stake in nature's abundance. The flags will be fixed into temporary installations around the reserve and strung across the waterways in a spectacular display. The parade will be accompanied by sing-a-long renditions of original and traditional folk songs drawn directly from the soil in which the flags will stand.
The Roaming Flags project is headed up by three members of the Walkspace collective: Andy Howlett, Beth Hopkins and Andrew Howe. Together they shall draw on their varied backgrounds in painting, printmaking, songwriting and the walking arts to create a truly participatory celebration of this magical area.
Key Dates
- Sun 17th July, 10am – Sensory guided walk and onsite flag making workshop. Free but booking essential. Book here. No art skills or experience necessary. Ages 8+
- Sat 13th August, 12pm – The Earth Parade: a celebratory Procession of the flags with musical and singing accompaniment. Free, no booking required. Suitable for all ages.
This project is supported by Creative Black Country as part of Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places National Portfolio programme, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (DMBC) and support from CoLab Dudley.
