We are thrilled to be catching up with ambitious team at Tamworth Arts & Events, who fought off some exceptional competition to be selected by The Big Draw Festival Awards panel for The Community, Libraries and Participatory Award for their events as part The Big Draw Festival 2017: Living Lines.

The breath, ingenious use of neglected and unusual spaces and truly participatory nature of Tamworth’s 2017 ‘Living Lines’ events all captured the imagination of our judges, not to mention the 450+ visitors who took part in one day…

Returning for The Big Draw Festival 2018: PLAY! With events taking place all over Tamworth on Saturday 6^th October. We catch up with the Tamworth team to see how they can possibly top last year’s events!

BD: Hello team Tamworth!

Firstly, congratulations of your Big Draw Festival Award for your events last year as part of ‘Living Lines’, what inspired your events and why do you think they were such a hit with the Tamworth public?

TAE: Thank you! We were so excited to receive the award. We wanted our living lines to be fun, playful and accessible to all and because of that I think they captured more attention. The activities were very unusual so it was quite intriguing for the public.

BD: Your Big Draw events last year involved evolving participatory artworks on the Tamworth Castle grounds, coloured tape and immersive UV drawings taking over empty units in shopping centres and chalking all over public squares, what is your motivation for instigating creative projects in ‘non-traditional’ art spaces?

TAE: With our visitors, we wanted to co-create ‘Arts in Unusual Spaces’ to make it more accessible, approachable and visible for all. Many people think art isn’t for them, and can seem like a very closed off world, this means the people who could benefit most from having a creative outlet often miss out on having a go. By bringing these activities into people’s everyday environments it breaks down that barrier, we then have to break down the ‘I can’t draw’ barrier! But that’s where The Big Draw steps in.

BD: As our high streets change (most UK shopping districts have more than a handful of empty shops), how do you see the continuing role of community groups, libraries and artists in ‘re-activating’ these spaces? Why is it important to keep high streets alive?

TAE: We work very closely with Tamworth’s Town Centre shopping centre, Ankerside and they kindly accommodate our activities when they can. The use of these empty units in the shopping centre for arts activities really enforces the element of community and draws people into the town centre. Whether it be to see their grandchild’s artwork hung up on display in an empty shop (as a makesshift gallery space!), taking part in an activity or watching a film produced by the public on display – it all gives a sense of ownership and pride in creating something together.

BD: Last year was your first year taking part in The Big Draw Festival, what inspired you to take part?

TAE: We have always wanted to take part in the Big Draw Festival, however didn’t have the funds to take part. Last year we were funded by Arts Council England and that has now given us the push to continue as we saw the benefits the festival had on our town. From a 90 year old lady having a go at tape drawings to a 4 year old creating and ultraviolet painting. The event really encompassed everyone from the community and brought them together to collectively produce an explosion of creativity in Tamworth.

BD: What can we expect to get involved with at Tamworth’s Big Draw Festival events on the 6^th October?

TAE: This year we really want to use the PLAY! theme throughout the day so we have worked with our artists to bring an imaginative and fun way to getting people more creative.

This year you will see ‘Paint Pot Pit Stop’ which is remote control cars with the wheels loaded with paint driving around in an empty shop on a giant canvas. ‘Paint Ball’ fights with walls, ‘Bubble Pop’ paintings, ‘Paint racing’ down walls, ‘Pendulum Paint’ pourers and ‘Spiro style’ shape making.

We will be bringing back last year’s favourites such as ‘Tape That’ where we will encourage people to line the floor and walls with their favourite children’s game out of electrical tape. My favourite is Snakes and ladders. ‘Urban Canvas’, where you are encouraged to draw your favourite game or character on the pavement and the striking ‘Art in the dark’ where we invite one and all to contribute to our ultraviolet masterpieces that create a huge collaborative fluorescent wonderland.

BD: Sounds messy! (we like it…) alongside the fun side of organising a Big Draw Festival event, what would you say are some of the challenges you’ve faced?

TAE: Our challenge is always looking for spaces to house our creative workshops. However, we are very lucky to have the collaboration of Ankerside Shopping Centre who are very supportive to allowing the community to make use of their spaces.

BD: We believe drawing can be life changing, it's an amazing tool for communication, invention and expression. What role does drawing play in your everyday life?

TAE: Drawing allows me to illustrate ideas and concepts that can be hard to explain verbally. It allows the arts and events team to input, challenge and change concepts.

BD: Do you have any top tips for anyone thinking of organising their own Big Draw Festival event?

TAE: Let your imagination go wild and unleash that inner child! As that playfulness will win over the hearts of the community.

When you surround yourself with very talented artists everything is possible – they will always help you see beyond the obvious and offer a unique perspective. I suppose that is their job!

BD: This year, The Big Draw Festival is celebrating the power of Play in the creative process and its role in innovation, well-being and development – for kids and big kids alike. Should we all make more time for play?

TAE: Yes! Play time is what we all work for! It stimulates us, releases creativity and challenges us to grow. Playtime doesn’t need to be expensive and it’s not until we start playing we realise what is possible.

Thank you to the team at Tamworth Arts & Events!

On their 2017 Big Draw Festival Award, Laura Patrick, Arts and Events Development Officer at Tamworth Arts & Events commented:

"Tamworth Arts and Events are very pleased to receive the Community, Participatory and Libraries award. The recognition from an international organisation such as The Big Draw will mean so much to the artists and our community who were involved in making the event such a success in 2017. We can’t wait to be involved in 2018’s campaign to inspire everyone to get drawing! "

The Tamworth Arts & Events Team will receive their Big Draw Festival Award alongside the 7 other #BDFAward 2017 winners at a ceremony taking place at Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool on 29 September 2018.

On the same day, and venue, we launch The Big Draw Festival 2018, which all are welcome to attend. Join us on the day and book your free place here.

Tamworth Arts & Events are Big Draw Festival 2018 Sponsor Partners.

Take part in their fantastic, free #Play2018 Big Draw Festival events in Tamworth on Saturday 6 October! A link to their full programme can be found here.

Interested in visiting a Big Draw Festival event near you this Autumn? Take a look at our Big Draw 2018 events map here, sign up to our localised event alerts here or perhaps you’d like to join our merry band of Big Draw Festival co-creators and organise your very our events?

Visit our Organise an Event page here for guidance on getting started.