As part of Arts and Culture week, EPALE UK is taking a closer look at the relationship between community culture and art; activities that develop visual and linguistic skills, critical thinking, and community integration.

Early in the week we featured case study organisation Ort Gallery, an artist led exhibition space in Balsall Heath, Birmingham. Ort Gallery’s social mission is to facilitate dialogue in the community through a variety of workshops, events and talks. Weekly Women’s and family workshops bring together a variety of audiences from multiple faiths and ethnic backgrounds supporting social cohesion and lifelong learning.

We had the opportunity to interview gallery Director Josephine Reichert about the benefits and impacts of the workshops.

Benefits of workshops to adults, families and wider community:

Josephine Reichert:

“So we are based in an area of no arts engagement so there aren’t many organisations who run classes and the organisations that do exist tend to charge quite high prices, so I think the services that we offer allow people from any background to take part in arts. I think the City Council and also the Arts Council are in a general movement trying to engage more young people more families because there are proven benefits to communities when they engage with the arts effectively…

…a lot of the parents, the children and the woman who attend the workshops talk about feeling more connected to their neighbourhood, meeting more people… and learn more about the community and interaction with other children and other adults”

Bringing people together, social cohesion and allowing community dialogue:

You can found out more about EPALE Art and Culture week by visiting our focus page.