Stirchley Art Room CIC is a non-profit community organisation whose mission is to support individual and community well-being through participation in high-quality art and craft activities. Since 2019, we have delivered high-quality, free, and low-barrier art opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. Stirchley Art Club Evening is an inclusive drop-in art session for adults in Stirchley Library, welcoming around 25 participants each week. It is a relaxed, safe, and inclusive space where friendships form and individuals grow creatively and personally. 

We believe in a thriving community where creativity fosters personal growth, connection, and understanding. This project removes barriers to participation in high-quality arts activity - whether financial, social, or practical - and addresses loneliness, inequality, and the need for inclusive, community environments where people feel they belong. 

We apply a pedagogical approach to create a safe, supportive space for people to explore their creativity and build relationships. Each session offers an optional taught activity, with freedom to pursue self-directed work using a wide range of materials. A workshop assistant provides further support. Stirchley Art Club is a space where friendships form and individuals grow creatively and personally.

Stirchley Art Club Evenings are pay-as-you-feel with participants on the lowest incomes invited to attend for free. This approach allows us to maintain full accessibility while encouraging those who can to contribute. A grant from Westhill directly supports subsidised access, ensuring people facing financial hardship can still participate.

Our participants come from diverse backgrounds. Around 56% identify with a faith, and we welcome people of all faiths and none. The majority are women, and many work in demanding frontline roles. They describe the club as a vital space to decompress after difficult days, to re-centre and to reconnect with creativity so they can return to their home and work lives with more energy and presence. We also welcome neurodiverse participants, who find the calm, non-judgmental environment supportive of their needs and creativity.

Our work is values-led and rooted in kindness, respect, and inclusivity.  We respond to local needs by providing artist-led workshops, open-access sessions, exhibitions, and events. We support the development of local artists and connect them with the wider community for mutual benefit. We also enable participants to share or sell their work through opportunities like Stirchley Community Market and Birmingham Open Studios, which help build confidence, visibility, and local pride.

We work closely with Stirchley Library, where our sessions are based. We aim to increase footfall and promote library use by linking our art activity to the wider community offer. 
 

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For more information please see the Stirchley Art Room Facebook Page,  Instagram,  or website. 

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