About Us
The Black Country
In 1868 the American consult to Birmingham, Elihu Burritt, said “The Black Country, black by day and red by night, cannot be matched for vast and varied production, by any other space of equal radius on the surface of the globe”. It’s our contention that the 2nd turning point in the area’s history was the arrival of empire workers en-masse in the early 1960s, which could not be matched anywhere else in the UK.
Liquifying cultural histories through moving images in artist-led efforts is a powerful way to make hidden histories accessible. It’s our wont that we will be inspired by and driven by anecdotal and researched material as start points; emotional resources that bring the experience of various communities into vivid visual form.
Our goal is to make sense of these worlds using imagination and ambitious techniques, to resurrect collective memories. While we hold an archive resource of cultural value, it’s our impressions from the material, drawing on considerable local know-how and creative networks, that will deliver work about and for underserved communities.
The People
Billy Dosanjh - Creative Director
Billy is an award winning Black Country born artist and filmmaker. The focus of his work is in the de-industrialised factory towns of the Black Country and Birmingham, particularly Smethwick, harsh romanticised settings where thousands of manual labourers were invited in the 1960s. The intimate personal stories of early immigrant life & the journey of the communities to the present day are the basis for his practice.
He is from the Black Country and trained at the National Film and Television School, and has worked as an artist/filmmaker since 2005.
For more info about Billy, please head over to his website.
Matthew Allmark - Director
Matthew Allmark has spent the last ten years in local government on the employment and skills agenda. He has developed a career managing award-winning programmes that support local people with raising their aspirations and progressing into sustainable careers.
Matthew believes that art is a great way to inspire people to want to learn more about social history. Producing work in partnership with local communities and sharing their stories helps encourage integration and cultural awareness.
With his knowledge and expertise in programme management and bid-writing, Matthew hopes to build upon Reimagining Industrial Migratory Stories’ track record in helping people to connect with their past and look to the future.
"Living in the Black Country, I have always been impressed with the vibrancy of local communities and I look forward to being part of a team that shares my passion for promoting social history and creating meaningful art”