Photo series boosts city crowdfunding campaign.
Birmingham-based photographer Verity Milligan has shot a series of portrait photographs of local residents, on the street and at independent coffee shops. They were asked “What do you love most about Birmingham?”, and they wrote their answers on a chalkboard. The series provides a fascinating snapshot of how citizens feel about their city.
Verity explains, “The Chalkboard project has been a great opportunity to engage with members of the public and the wider creative community, whilst raising the profile of Impact Hub Birmingham. It’s provided opportunity for people to reflect positively on Birmingham, and to collectively think about the changes we’d like to see.”
The photo series form part of a wider #EpicBrum campaign, which uses social media to highlight socially positive projects around the city. It’s also intended to raise awareness of Impact Hub Birmingham’s crowdfunding campaign to create an innovative new workspace.
The photographs were taken at Urban Coffee Company on Church St, Faculty, Brewsmiths, Impact Hub Birmingham and the Christmas Markets.
Immy Kaur, co-founder of Impact Hub Birmingham said: “Over the past few weeks, we’ve heard from people across all walks of life to tell us their challenges but also why they love where they live.
“I believe we need to build less fancy buildings and create more content that is relevant to citizens and that is ambitious about where we can head together. We have a chance to be the heart of social innovation in the UK – pioneering solutions to some of the toughest challenges our city is facing. With a young, diverse and energetic demographic we are well placed to face these challenges collaboratively.”
Impact Hub Birmingham are continuing with their target of crowdfunding £50,000 by Saturday 10th January. The team has already picked up the keys for part of a renovated factory in Digbeth. Now they need to raise the money to transform this empty space into a shared working, events and community space, for organisations and individuals who share their values.
Birmingham City University strongly supports the need for such a space. Speaking on behalf of the university, Dr Steve Harding said “The city needs to improve its innovation performance to achieve its ambitions and it is initiatives such as Impact Hub Birmingham that will play a prominent role in creating opportunities for integrated thinking, nurturing emerging enterprises and creating an infrastructure of skilled talent and support initiatives.”
The campaign can be found by visiting: bit.ly/EpicBrum