A vibrant community exhibition showcasing artistic interpretations of growing up in Sparkhill has opened its doors at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
A Year-Long Creative Journey
The exhibition, titled Sparkhill: A Child’s Eye View, officially launched on 4 November 2025. This unique display is the culmination of a year-long heritage programme orchestrated by the local charity, The Springfield Project.
The initiative was designed to engage local children and families with the historic experiences of childhood in their own area. The project explored three key themes of Sparkhill's heritage:
- Community spaces
- Shopping
- Green spaces
Guided by the children's natural curiosity and supported by a series of workshops, participants embarked on local history walks and visited museums to fuel their research and creative exploration.
From Research to Artwork
Each participating group was paired with an experienced creative practitioner. Together, they worked to develop and produce artistic pieces that interpret their historical findings and personal interests.
Manon Evans, the programme co-ordinator, expressed her delight, stating: "It's been an absolutely wonderful experience, exploring the aspects of Sparkhill's history and heritage that sparked the children's fascination and intrigue."
She added, "The children we've been working with are so generous and forthcoming with their stories, memories and creativity, and I'm so pleased that their artwork can be shared with those visiting Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery."
The excitement was shared by the young artists themselves. One child participant remarked on seeing the finished display: "Wow that's so cool! I made those jalebi and I think the road is mine, too!"
Celebrating Community and Heritage
This ambitious project was made possible with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, The Springfield Project delivered the programme, which also included a heritage-focused Festival of Sparkhill in 2025.
Andrea Bonnell, participation manager at Birmingham Museums Trust, commented: "We are delighted to host this exhibition at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. The artworks clearly show the creativity that has been inspired in the local community by taking part in the project, vividly portraying the historical experiences of childhood in Sparkhill."
The Springfield Project exhibition will be on display at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery until 6 January 2026. General admission is free of charge, though donations are warmly welcomed to support future community initiatives.
