Cultural delivery partners

Art at the Heart CIC is a not for profit organisation based in Solihull that works to combat inequality, support wellbeing and realise dreams through creative and cultural education. 

Their education programmes, developed through 30 years of award-winning arts education practice, deliver a subtle and complex mixture of benefits that empower young people to smash through glass ceilings. Through supporting big dreams, they encourage the youth of today to become the change makers of tomorrow. 

Programme participants reap the following benefits from making art regularly with Art at the Heart, regardless of cultural or economic background:

• greater wellbeing, 
• positive impact on educational achievement and progression to university
• development of in-demand 21st century skills resulting in increased employability 

Art at the Heart is an Arts Award Centre and runs regular weekly term-time arts workshops at The Core as well activities during the holidays. They work in school settings as well as in the community, offering both workshops to pupils and professional development opportunities for staff. Last year they were recognised in the Solihull Civic Honours Awards for ‘Making a difference to Young People’. They sit on the steering group of Solihull CEP.

Community work has included working with different community groups of all ages including refugees on arts, health and wellbeing projects.

Art at the Heart have been supported by The Core and Solihull Culture to deliver two large community engagement festivals celebrating Diwali and Holi.

Big Brum TIE is passionate about bringing storytelling to life.

We create Theatre in Education programmes that engage, inspire and educate children and young people.

We use theatre and drama to help young people to make meaning of their lives and the world around them.

Big Brum is an award-winning charity pioneered in 1982 to educate young people through Theatre in Education (TiE) learning programmes. We have a particular commitment to the schools and community in North Solihull.

We deliver most of our work in learning settings located in areas of high economic and social deprivation, where children and young people are least engaged with creativity and culture. 

Big Brum is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. 

We have been working with The Birmingham Rep’s education department to increase the delivery of drama sessions and youth theatre provision across the Borough.

Over the summer a range of Play in a Day sessions took place across the borough and a regular youth theatre is now established at The Core.

Young people will work with a professional theatre Director from the Birmingham Rep, building an ensemble and creating performance.

There will be opportunities to perform at the Core Theatre in the spring term and at The Rep at Youth Theatre Festival alongside schools, theatre groups and companies from across the West Midlands.

The youth theatre is for ages 11-16 (Secondary school age). 

Bursary places are available to young people who live in Solihull and are in receipt of Free School Meals. 

You can find out more about joining the youth theatre.

Pop Voices Community Choir welcomes people of all ages and abilities with a focus on coming together to share the joy of music, mixed with a large dose of friendship in a sociable, fun and relaxed environment!

We love to perform modern classics and old favourites that everyone can relate to. We don’t use sheet music and our teaching methods make singing in harmony easy and enjoyable!

Anyone with a love of singing can take part in our weekly classes that offer enthusiastic singers the chance to sing group songs, develop self-confidence and meet new friends in a lively upbeat atmosphere.

We run classes in Solihull, Shirley, Balsall Common and and a little further afield in Kenilworth, Redditch and Wootton Wawen. Members also get the chance to perform with us at memorable events and venues - we’ve recently performed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, on stage at Birmingham Town Hall, in New York and at Disneyland Paris!

Pop Voices Director Anya Small also runs the Sing Solihull Choir based in The Core Theatre which is a drop in choir on Thursdays from 1.00pm to 2.00pm. Sing Solihull now has over 50 members and can be seen performing locally including The Solihull Jazz Festival and in John Lewis at various times of the year.

Find out more about Pop Voices.

Solihull Music is part of Solihull Council and receives funding from the Department of Education (DfE) to:

• support schools and other education settings to deliver high-quality music education
• support young people to develop their musical interests and talent, including into employment
• support all children and young people to engage with a range of musical opportunities in and out of school

Solihull Music runs lessons, ensembles and events across the Borough.

A large programme of workshops and classes is delivered from The Core.