Leave The Public alone
And so the new arts centre in West Bromwich, The Public, is finally open. Some say that never before has a building in West Bromwich caused so much controversy, so much argument and so much bile. We say, never before has a building in West Bromwich caused so much interest – and that is surely the place to start from. Whilst much of the rest of the country has forged ahead with regeneration over the last 10 years of economic growth, Sandwell in general, and West Bromwich in particular, has been left behind and its concrete has crumbled.
Yes, there have been controversies for the centre – the cost, the overrun, questionable planning – but now it is here and is a sorely needed addition to aesthetically challenged West Bromwich. Challenged in how it looks and in its artistic facilities, but some had a vision to address both problems, and they are to be congratulated for that.
Have they, though, risen to the challenge and produced a building to add culture to West Bromwich? Well, unlike some we thought we’d wait until the place was open before passing judgement. We do wish the naysayers and rent-a-quote crowd, such as the Taxpayers Alliance, would have done similarly and thought before they decided and voiced their verdict. The Black Country stoical perspective on life is often an asset to be commended, but at times it tips over into self-flagellation and denial of the good things in our society their hard work has helped to produce. Would other areas of the country be so upset and, even worse, so vocal in disapproval that they have a new arts centre which others haven’t had? No, they’d say ‘thanks, we’ll enjoy that, and by the way we’d now like to have one of these and those’.
Have years of deprivation and neglect so lowered the desire of the people of Sandwell to enjoy the beautiful things in life, like interesting architecture, nice town spaces, and the arts? We don’t think so, so why the negative commentary over the centre? We suspect that much of it has been the usual critics using this as another opportunity for self-publicity and to moan at anyone who tries to do something positive. This is a shameful attitude that undermines the rest of the community.
We need to dispel a couple of myths that have been allowed to build up as a result of the griping and the lazy coverage about The Public. First, there is a view that you have to pay to get in. That is not true – you have to pay to get into the gallery, but that is only one part of the centre. The rest of the centre is a public building and you can just walk in and use the café and other facilities. And, at last, there is a small but well-equipped theatre in West Bromwich.
The second myth is that the gallery is like the art galleries in Walsall and Wolverhampton and, so, ought to be free like them. It is not like those galleries, and those that run the centre in part have themselves to blame for this confusion for calling it a gallery. It is trying to be something very different – a sort of living artistic computer game, or a real creative Second Life. As such, comparison with art galleries in nearby towns is not strictly fair, and so the debate about entrance fees should not be based on those grounds.
Will the gallery work? Will it capture the imagination? Will it span the generations? That all remains to be seen. Should they charge? We do wonder whether or not it is the right thing for the area, and we wonder if charging (particularly now it has attracted such negative publicity) will deter the local community it is meant to attract in. However, we’ll wait for now and leave it to the market to decide. But if you don’t like them charging, don’t just sit back and grumble, do something positive and at least be inspired by the spirit of an arts centre. Mount your own free arts exhibition in the area outside the centre as your protest. It must be more fun that writing a small minded, grousing letter or email to the local media.
And what of the rest of the building? Architecturally it makes you stop and look. It also makes you want to come back and have another look– which is something the old bus depot never did. And the fact there are pink bits to it is nothing new nor controversial for West Bromwich - we remember when the Sandwell pub was painted pink.
It is a bit cramped in its space, particularly at the back, and we do hope there are plans to clear more open ground around it. Imagine a space in which you could have a picnic on a summer’s evening while they screen a film on the side of the building. Also, we would have liked a better view out towards the Rowley Hills from the third floor - the gap to the windows is too large, or the windows too small.
Inside it is a stimulating profusion of pipes, struts, pink neon lights and metal cladding. As you sit on the ground floor and have a coffee you can’t help but let your eye wander to some new facet of the interior. And surely looking out of the window to see a pink tinted sky must be more uplifting than trudging the scarred high street.
We come back to the point; at last there is an interesting building in West Bromwich. Do you recall when you were a kid and everything was new and awe-inspiring? Wasn’t it great - and wouldn’t it be good to have some more of that in your life? Architecture and art can give you that. The Public offers it to those who are prepared to come with an open mind and make up their own mind after actually experiencing the place.
Will The Public work to stimulate and invigorate a new generation to build a better place, or will it inspire them to leave when they see there is another way in life? We hope it is the former as so many good people come out of the Black Country – and stay that way, out of the Black Country. But ultimately it is not the moaners and naysayers, it is not the planners, and it is not the centre’s managers who will decide on the future of this interesting new arts centre – it is you, the public who will decide. Come and give it a go.
Yes, there have been controversies for the centre – the cost, the overrun, questionable planning – but now it is here and is a sorely needed addition to aesthetically challenged West Bromwich. Challenged in how it looks and in its artistic facilities, but some had a vision to address both problems, and they are to be congratulated for that.
Have they, though, risen to the challenge and produced a building to add culture to West Bromwich? Well, unlike some we thought we’d wait until the place was open before passing judgement. We do wish the naysayers and rent-a-quote crowd, such as the Taxpayers Alliance, would have done similarly and thought before they decided and voiced their verdict. The Black Country stoical perspective on life is often an asset to be commended, but at times it tips over into self-flagellation and denial of the good things in our society their hard work has helped to produce. Would other areas of the country be so upset and, even worse, so vocal in disapproval that they have a new arts centre which others haven’t had? No, they’d say ‘thanks, we’ll enjoy that, and by the way we’d now like to have one of these and those’.
Have years of deprivation and neglect so lowered the desire of the people of Sandwell to enjoy the beautiful things in life, like interesting architecture, nice town spaces, and the arts? We don’t think so, so why the negative commentary over the centre? We suspect that much of it has been the usual critics using this as another opportunity for self-publicity and to moan at anyone who tries to do something positive. This is a shameful attitude that undermines the rest of the community.
We need to dispel a couple of myths that have been allowed to build up as a result of the griping and the lazy coverage about The Public. First, there is a view that you have to pay to get in. That is not true – you have to pay to get into the gallery, but that is only one part of the centre. The rest of the centre is a public building and you can just walk in and use the café and other facilities. And, at last, there is a small but well-equipped theatre in West Bromwich.
The second myth is that the gallery is like the art galleries in Walsall and Wolverhampton and, so, ought to be free like them. It is not like those galleries, and those that run the centre in part have themselves to blame for this confusion for calling it a gallery. It is trying to be something very different – a sort of living artistic computer game, or a real creative Second Life. As such, comparison with art galleries in nearby towns is not strictly fair, and so the debate about entrance fees should not be based on those grounds.
Will the gallery work? Will it capture the imagination? Will it span the generations? That all remains to be seen. Should they charge? We do wonder whether or not it is the right thing for the area, and we wonder if charging (particularly now it has attracted such negative publicity) will deter the local community it is meant to attract in. However, we’ll wait for now and leave it to the market to decide. But if you don’t like them charging, don’t just sit back and grumble, do something positive and at least be inspired by the spirit of an arts centre. Mount your own free arts exhibition in the area outside the centre as your protest. It must be more fun that writing a small minded, grousing letter or email to the local media.
And what of the rest of the building? Architecturally it makes you stop and look. It also makes you want to come back and have another look– which is something the old bus depot never did. And the fact there are pink bits to it is nothing new nor controversial for West Bromwich - we remember when the Sandwell pub was painted pink.
It is a bit cramped in its space, particularly at the back, and we do hope there are plans to clear more open ground around it. Imagine a space in which you could have a picnic on a summer’s evening while they screen a film on the side of the building. Also, we would have liked a better view out towards the Rowley Hills from the third floor - the gap to the windows is too large, or the windows too small.
Inside it is a stimulating profusion of pipes, struts, pink neon lights and metal cladding. As you sit on the ground floor and have a coffee you can’t help but let your eye wander to some new facet of the interior. And surely looking out of the window to see a pink tinted sky must be more uplifting than trudging the scarred high street.
We come back to the point; at last there is an interesting building in West Bromwich. Do you recall when you were a kid and everything was new and awe-inspiring? Wasn’t it great - and wouldn’t it be good to have some more of that in your life? Architecture and art can give you that. The Public offers it to those who are prepared to come with an open mind and make up their own mind after actually experiencing the place.
Will The Public work to stimulate and invigorate a new generation to build a better place, or will it inspire them to leave when they see there is another way in life? We hope it is the former as so many good people come out of the Black Country – and stay that way, out of the Black Country. But ultimately it is not the moaners and naysayers, it is not the planners, and it is not the centre’s managers who will decide on the future of this interesting new arts centre – it is you, the public who will decide. Come and give it a go.
