Grand Union

Alberta Whittle
Congregation (creating dangerously)

2021 – 2022

Grand Union has collaboratively embarked on a long-term project with British-Barbadian artist Alberta Whittle to aid in the much-needed healing of our Birmingham Community. Using public sculpture, film workshops and community gardening, we propose to address and redress issues surrounding use and ownership of land. The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham provides a crucial backdrop for this project which will develop over the coming year.

Meet the Cultivators

The Field Commission: Asad Raza – Reabsorption

Every Wednesday, 10 – 2pm

Cultivators will be working on ‘The Field Commission’ site every Wednesday as part of Asad Raza’s Reabsorption, so drop by to see and find out more about the project.

Floating Garden

The Growing Project

Coming soon.

Working with a range of collaborators we have created a floating garden to re-imagine how we could use the canal and connect people with nature in the city. The garden will be mooring on the Fazeley Street branch in Digbeth on 1st April 2022.

Warwick Bar Walking Tours

Collaborative Program

Monthly 3:00-4:30 pm.

Next walking tour August 10, spaces available to book now.

Alberta Whittle Congregation (creating dangerously) Exhibition

September – December 2022

Launching on Digbeth First Friday, September 2nd, 2022. Congregation (creating dangerously), an exhibition of newly commissioned works by Alberta Whittle. Using public sculpture, film, workshops, and community gardening with women’s groups, seeking to address issues surrounding use and ownership of land and to aid in the much-needed healing of our Birmingham community.

Cooking Sections:
The Empire Remains Shop Birmingham & The Field Commission

2020 – 2023

The Field Commission, is a process of reimagining the public land adjacent to Junction Works. In collaboration with Homes England and Canal & River Trust, the project will, over five years, transform the canalised site through a series of year-long artistic commissions, programming and events.

The Growing Project

Ongoing

The Growing Project is a community-led growing scheme working with organisations who support the vulnerably housed and people in crisis. Aiming to ‘Green-Sense’ the city, The Growing Project will improve sites across Birmingham by ‘growing food and creating green spaces’, sites that are developed, tended and nurtured by people experiencing difficult times.

Junction Works

2021 – 2023

Grand Union is leading a £3.25m project to bring a Grade II listed building on Fazeley Street, Digbeth, Birmingham, back into use.

A sign painted on the side of Junction Works building. In yellow and white it reads, In a hostile environment respectability will not save you.

Cooking Sections
The Empire Remains Shop – Birmingham

2019 – 2022

The Empire Remains Shop -Birmingham is our long-term project with Cooking Sections, a public programme activating Junctions Works, a historical grade-II listed former Canal & River Trust Office in Birmingham. Owned by Homes England, Junction Works is the potential future home of Grand Union.

Ed Webb Ingall
Forming a Resident’s Association

2020 – 2022

Grand Union is working with filmmaker Ed Webb Ingall to develop a new project exploring the role of video in response to the UK housing crisis. Holding a series of meetings, screenings and workshops, together, we will connect a national network of community and activist organisations with galleries and museums.

Paper wrapped Veda loaf, with nutritional label

Laura Wilson
Trained on Veda

2020 – 2022

Trained on Veda is a malted loaf and evolving artwork by Laura Wilson connecting bakeries and galleries through veda bread. Developed with TACO, Grand Union, Site Gallery and Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art.

Bruntwood Artists-in-Residence

2019 – 2025

Grand Union and Bruntwood are working in partnership to offer opportunity for Artists to be in residence in Bruntwood’s Cornwall Buildings in Birmingham city centre each year.

A rectangular piece of abstractly painted canvas in yellow, green and blue tones is propped against a wall with a piece of wood painted luminous yellow.

Grand Union x UoB MA Art History & Curating

2016 – Present

Since 2016 Grand Union has collaborated with the Department of Art History & Curating at the University of Birmingham to create opportunities for early career curators to co-curate their first public exhibition and programme of events.

Art & Ecology Podcast

The Art & Ecology podcast series aims to bring together different ways of thinking about cultural and ecological problems to help broaden our collective understanding and to highlight the interconnectivity of the post-industrial world.

* ‘G’ and ‘U’ initials from A,B,C’s (2017-18)
by Sarah Taylor Silverwood

Alberta Whittle
Congregation (creating dangerously)

Meet the Cultivators

The Field Commission: Asad Raza – Reabsorption

Floating Garden

The Growing Project

Warwick Bar Walking Tours

Collaborative Program

Alberta Whittle Congregation (creating dangerously) Exhibition

Collaborative Programme

Cooking Sections:
The Empire Remains Shop Birmingham & The Field Commission

Ongoing Projects

The Growing Project

Junction Works

Cooking Sections
The Empire Remains Shop – Birmingham

Ed Webb Ingall
Forming a Resident’s Association

Laura Wilson
Trained on Veda

Bruntwood Artists-in-Residence

Grand Union x UoB MA Art History & Curating

Art & Ecology Podcast