About

Multistory is a community arts organisation based in Sandwell in the West Midlands, UK. Since 2006, our work has been shaped by the people and places here. We work with communities, artists and partners to reimagine the local area, platform underrepresented voices and explore how creativity can support social change. Working collaboratively and in partnership is central to what we do, collectively sharing knowledge and resources through our projects, events and artist development programme. Rather than working from a single site, we move across Sandwell and the wider Black Country; you’ll find us in libraries, parks, community centres, galleries, high streets and other public spaces.

Our work centres on people coming together as active citizens, working collectively to shape the present and future of the place they call home. Our programme is place-led and unfolds over time, ranging from; community gatherings, social and ecological arts projects, festivals, workshops, events, exhibitions, commissions. Through our programme Neighbourhood Ecologies, we collaborate with artists and communities to explore the intersections between environmental and social justice, how they connect in everyday life, and what it means to build and care for shared resources; the commons. Our long term programme strand Local Stories seeks to archive and share overlooked stories and histories. Our Blast! artist development programme was set up to provide artists in the local area opportunities for critical engagement and collaboration outside of formal arts education.

Communal: working communally; co-creation; bringing people together; cultivating interdisciplinary spaces; building partnerships and networks; collective decision-making; thinking and practicing alongside others.

Rooted in place: working in an embedded way across the local area; a responsive and agile programme; locally focussed and outward looking; people shaping the present and future of where they live; foregrounding situated knowledge; nurturing a resilient and connected region.

Equitable: a programme that represents the voices of communities across Sandwell and the Black Country; recognising and celebrating difference; proactive in creating opportunities; transparency.

Regenerative: social, ecological and economic sustainability; defending the common good; planting the seeds for the future; supportive of communities, artists and artist development; sharing resources and tools; widening participation in culture.

Intentional: values driven; thinking critically; continuously reflective; deep engagement; slow and long term work; dreaming in the short and long term; an ongoing commitment to local place and people.

Hopeful and joyous: creating opportunity for collective expression, positive action and celebration; leaving space for spontaneity and play; transformative cultural exchange; working with artists and communities to put into practice better futures.