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A landscape image of a large screen within a darkened gallery space. The screen shows a brightly coloured animation of a varied group of people holding placards bearing slogans such as ‘Together is Better, know your rights’, ‘Repair don’t Demolish’, and ‘Housing is a human right.’ Atop the image, large yellow words read; ‘A Bedroom for Everyone’ in capital letters on the diagonal across the screen.
A landscape image of a large screen within a darkened gallery space. The screen shows a row of animated people holding placards reading slogans such as ‘Housing for all,’ and ‘Repair don’t demolish'. Behind the animated people is a black-and-white image of a real housing protest; people holding banners and placards, and buildings are visible. In the middle of the screen a sentence in Polish is written as a subtitle.
a landscape image of a dark gallery space with plain grey walls. Leaning against the wall are three upside down protest placards, piled against each other. The placard at the front of the pile, although upside down, reads, ‘We need more 3,4,5 bedroom social homes’, in black, handwritten, capital letters. To the right of the placards, a vintage style TV sits upon a plinth. A white, blue, and red animated scene is visible on the screen, but it is difficult to make out any details. Simple black folding chairs are placed between the wall and camera.
A landscape image of a large screen within a darkened gallery space. The screen shows a brightly coloured animation of a varied group of people holding placards bearing slogans such as ‘Together is Better, know your rights’, ‘Repair don’t Demolish’, and ‘Housing is a human right.’ Atop the image, large yellow words read; ‘A Bedroom for Everyone’ in capital letters on the diagonal across the screen.

Installation View, ‘A Bedroom for Everyone’ by Ed Webb-Ingall, Grand Union, 2023. Image by Patrick Dandy, 2023

A landscape image of a large screen within a darkened gallery space. The screen shows a row of animated people holding placards reading slogans such as ‘Housing for all,’ and ‘Repair don’t demolish'. Behind the animated people is a black-and-white image of a real housing protest; people holding banners and placards, and buildings are visible. In the middle of the screen a sentence in Polish is written as a subtitle.

Installation View, ‘A Bedroom for Everyone’ by Ed Webb-Ingall, Grand Union, 2023. Image by Patrick Dandy.

a landscape image of a dark gallery space with plain grey walls. Leaning against the wall are three upside down protest placards, piled against each other. The placard at the front of the pile, although upside down, reads, ‘We need more 3,4,5 bedroom social homes’, in black, handwritten, capital letters. To the right of the placards, a vintage style TV sits upon a plinth. A white, blue, and red animated scene is visible on the screen, but it is difficult to make out any details. Simple black folding chairs are placed between the wall and camera.

Installation View, ‘A Bedroom for Everyone’ by Ed Webb-Ingall (2023) and ‘Home and Dry’ by Leeds Animation Studio (1987), Grand Union, 2023. Image by Patrick Dandy, 2023.

Ed Webb-IngallA Bedroom for Everyone

Grand Union 15 September – 9 December 2023

Opening Scene: Four strangers meet at a housing demo. Along the route they talk about resisting being moved out of their neighbourhoods to make way for overpriced luxury apartments, fighting for safer housing while waiting on corrupt councils to decide their fates, challenging rent increases from substandard private landlords and the dangers of damp overcrowded, temporary flats.

Launching 15 September, Grand Union is delighted to introduce A Bedroom for Everyone, an exhibition comprising a newly commissioned animation by filmmaker Ed Webb-Ingall, stemming from a long-term body of work that asks what the role of filmmaking is in response to the current housing crisis in the UK. The project explores the power of grassroots activism and organising in the face of this ongoing emergency; whilst making space for the camaraderie that unfolds in the community centres and meeting halls where this work takes place.

Following time spent with housing and migrant-support groups from Glasgow, Nottingham, Liverpool, Birmingham and London, filmmaker Ed Webb-Ingall has collaborated with members of these groups to co-write the script for this new animation, illustrated by lead artist Sofia Niazi and animated by Astrid Goldsmith.

The animation’s script has been written collaboratively with members of four activist and community groups, each group writing a different character. The groups involved are: Druids Heath & Monyhull Forum (Birmingham), Acorn Union (Birmingham), Akwaaba Social Centre for Migrants (London), and Housing Action Southwark & Lambeth (London). Developing the script with members of the Community who support people who have lived experience of the housing crisis, the film acts as a resource to encourage people to seek out local groups, join up, ask for help, offer support, raise awareness, and raise funds.

A Bedroom for Everyone is available to use as a resource to share with anyone interested or engaged in housing struggles. If you would like to show this film in your community setting, please contact us at info@grand-union.org.uk. The animation is captioned in four languages: Arabic, English, Polish, and Spanish. In the gallery the animation plays on a loop with English Captions, however, we are very happy to change the caption language or to take the captions off to suit your access requirements. Please feel free to ask us at any time.

If you are unable to travel to the gallery due to health, disability, access, or socio-economic reasons, we are happy to share the link with you online. Please email info@grand-union.org.uk or call us on 0121 643 9079.

See here for more information on the project.

The exhibition is accompanied by a co-curated public programme of events;

Exhibition Launch
Friday 15 September 2023, 6–8pm

Join us for the opening of the solo exhibition by Ed Webb-Ingall at Grand Union Gallery, with celebratory drinks.

University of Birmingham Screening Events
Dates and Times TBC

Working with students from University of Birmingham, Ed will co-curate two paired film screenings that will take this film into different community settings. Each event will explore the potential distribution and development of the audience beyond the gallery. More details soon.

Digbeth First Fridays
Friday 6 October, Friday 3 November, Friday 1 December 2023 6–8pm

Digbeth comes alive on the first Friday of each month with exhibitions, late-night openings, special events, culture in unexpected spaces, live music and more. At Grand Union we will be opening late for you to see the Ed Webb-Ingall exhibition.

Online Screenings
6–8 October, 3–5 November, 1–3 December 2023

Alongside Digbeth First Fridays, A Bedroom for Everyone will be available to watch over the weekend period from midday Friday to Sunday evening on Grand Union’s website.