The document provides an overview of community photography in Birmingham from the 1970s-1980s as a form of cultural intermediation. It discusses organizations like WELD and Ten:8 magazine that documented the city's racial and industrial changes during that era. Examples from Manchester are also briefly mentioned, such as Daniel Meadows' photography project and David Chadwick's documentation of the Hulme Housing Estate. The document examines community photography as both a social practice and means of cultural representation during this transformative period in Britain.

1. Ian Grosvenor
Natasha Macnab

2. Overview
 Scoping and data collection
 Birmingham City Archives closure likely
to be brought forward from Jan 2013
 Initial scoping of Manchester Archives

3. Issues I
 Periodisation:
… every period historians identify
segments the continuum of time … [and]
there are continuities that connect the
1970s with earlier and later decades
[Walker 2002: 8].
 Movement – Ted Little: Brum, London,
Brum.

4. Issues II
 Contexts
Place (Hayden & Massey)
Cultural Policy
Social, cultural, economic and political
events

5. Birmingham
 Arthur Young called Birmingham 'the first
manufacturing town in the world„ (1791).
 Beginning of the 19th C, Birmingham industry
based on a multitude of workshops using
hand-operated machinery (Hopkins, 2002).
 „The city of a thousand trades‟

6.  Expanded quickly in the 19th century,
developing specialities in four employment
areas:
*Guns
*Jewellery
*Buttons and
*Brass products
 Industrial sector in Birmingham and WM
distinctive in the UK as it was founded on small
firms with highly skilled workers

7.  By 1950s Birmingham (and Coventry) fastest
UK growing economies behind London.
 By 1970s employment in the West Midlands
was directed in four areas of industry –
*Metal Manufacture
*Engineering and Electrical Goods,
*Vehicles and
*Other Metal Goods.

8.  1970s and 1980s, Birmingham experienced
relentless de-industrialization
 Lost 191,000 jobs between 1971 and 1987, which
accounted for almost 30% of its employment total
and almost 50% of all manufacturing service (Henry
et al., 2002, p. 117; Spencer et al., 1986).
 The city‟s response to this employment crash was
considerable investment in the service industries,
especially business tourism (Henry et al, 2002).
 Culture and creativity key factors in urban
regeneration

9. Population change
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000 Series1
400,000
200,000
0
1811................. 1861................. 1911…………… 1961…………..
Source – BCC;
Spencer, 2010; ONS

10. Migration to Birmingham
50000
45000
40000
35000
1961
30000
1971
25000 1981
1991
20000 2001
15000
10000
5000
0
Bangladesh* India Jamaica Kenya Pakistan Republic of
Ireland
Source – Connecting
Histories

11. Cultural Intermediation 1955-1965
 Many community organisations developed
in response to the particular needs of
migrants particularly in relation to the
issues of housing, employment, racism and
education:
*Pakistani Welfare Association (1945)
*Afro-Caribbean Organisation (1966).
*Charles Parker involved with Harborne
Players and CCARD (1961)

12. Cultural Intermediation 1975-
1985
 Political activism of 1960s, 1970s and
1980s huge impact on cultural activity.
 Wider manifestation of “arts for everyone”
(King, 2004) - Democratising the arts.
 Chance to depict groups who would have
been unrepresented or misrepresented.
 Community groups associated themselves
with socialism and class/equality struggles.

13. Indicative Cultural
Intermediation in Birmingham
 Birmingham Arts Lab
 Banner Theatre
 The Triangle
 Community Photography eg:
WELD
Ten:8
Trinity Arts

14. Community Photography &
Cultural Intermediation
 Social issues, such as race, riots, gender
equality, strikes, unemployment and
deprivation were highlighted by community
photographers.
 Additionally, the skills that were needed to
take photographs were being taught in the
community, making it possible for members
of the community to become part of the
growing community photography
movement (James, 2002).

15.  … community photographers continue
both a photographic and communal
tradition … we think that community
photography can actively involve people
in social change. We believe that it can
be a vital step in taking control of our
own lives. [Editorial Camerawork 17,
January/February 1980: 2]

16. Structure I
 Documentary Photography 1930s-1960s
 Community Photography as Cultural
Intermediation 1975-1985: Contexts
 Community Photography as Social Practice
1975-1985
 Birmingham: WELD, Ten:8, Handsworth Cultural
Centre, Born to Work, Vanley Burke & Tarik
Chawdry
 Manchester: Daniel Meadows, Martin
Parr, David Chadwick, Manchester Studies
Archive

17. 1976
Policy Selected Social, Cultural and Political events
Vanley Burke’s documentation of Redcliffe-Maud report Support for Formation of Rock against Racism to combat the rise of neo-
the Black community in the Arts in England and Wales Fascism in politics and popular music
Birmingham, Handsworth from published
Inside, is exhibited in the foyer of the
Alexander Theatre, Birmingham
David Chadwick , Hulme Housing Death of Mao Zedong
Estate photography project
Rioting at Notting Hill carnival
Nick Hedges Fellowship from West Arts Council, Gulbenkian First ‘Right to Work March’ from Manchester to London
Midlands Arts Foundation and Community organized by unemployed
Relations Commission commissioned
report The Arts Britain Ignores by
Naseem Khan published
Minorities Advisory Service (MAAS) First issues of Camerawork, Artscribe, Arts Monthly and History
established Workshop Journal published
Peace Movement demonstrations in Ireland and England
Sterling crisis forces UK to seek loan from IMF
Anarchy in the UK released
European Commission on Human Rights found Britain guilty of
torturing internees
Grunwick dispute begins with walkout of photography
processors

18. Structure II
 Connections: Photography
Workshop, Leeds Pavilion
Project, Watershed Bristol
 Community Photography & CI in decline
*Fragmenting of alternative photographing
practice (access v representation)
*Fragmenting of the left
*Neo con attacks on the arts
*Reduction in funding

19. WELD (Westminster
Endeavour, Liaison and
Development) 1968
 Community arts project began as a small
organisation based at Westminster Junior
School.
 Sponsored by a range of organisations in
Birmingham
*The Inner City Partnership
*The City of Birmingham Education Committee
*Leisure Services Subcommittee
*The Social Services Committee
*WM Arts
*Barrow and Geraldine S. Cadbury Trust.

22. Ten:8 magazine
1975-1985 (1979)
 Founded by Bishton, Brian Homer and
John Reardon in 1979. Title derived
from the standard size of photographic
paper. Initially funded by WM Arts later
Arts Council GB.
Inspired by Camerawork, East London
photographers' collective.
 Aim was „to represent the working class
and migrant communities‟ (Brittain in
Dewdney, 2011, p.263) of Birmingham.

25.  Daniel Meadows: „Free photographic
omnibus‟

26.  David Chadwick: „Hulme Estate Project‟

27. Discussion Points
 Level of detail?
 Breadth of coverage?
 Wider Context – what to include?
 Intention to track a type of cultural intermediary
through three time frames eg Parker and
Banner Theatre Birmingham; Community
Photography through two time frames; CI which
began in our third time frame eg Birmingham
Opera Company?
 Manchester – same approach?