Faith Takes Flight
Art, Design, and Culture
05/04/25
Northern Live
A live tribute to northern soul music performing over 30 classic hits from the Northern Soul era. The Wulfrun Hall
11/04/25
Mad Dog Mcrea
A British folk band from Plymouth, featuring a blend of folk, rock, jazz, pop, and bluegrass, combining into a unique and interesting sound.
KK’s Steel Mill
13/04/25
Geoff Norcott
A British comedian known for his political and social-themed humour, with a mix of satire and personal anecdotes to amuse the audience.
Newhampton Arts Centre
25/04/25
Pop, Print, Protest x Friday Lates
This feature explores how different pop artists use text, mixed media, and collage to create powerful messages. Wolverhampton Art Gallery
What’s
15/04/25-19/04/25
Derren Brown: Only human An immersive and mysterious live experience, by renowned illusionist Derren Brown.
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
25/04/25
Manic Street Preachers
A concert featuring the Welsh rock band celebrating their dynamic style hard-hitting lyrics. The Civic Hall
16/04/25-17/04/25
Jekyll And Hyde The musical
A unique musical of myth and mystery based in London within the 19th century, featuring Dr Jekyll. Arena Theatre
22/04/25
Care first wellbeing webinar This webinmar offers support, advice and counselling on any personal or workplace related issues.
School of Creative industries
What’s On
Art director Aimee Simpson caught up with creative lead Joshua Mee to find out about his role at Arise Church.
What is your job role? What
does it entail?
I am a Creative Lead at Arise Church in Kingswinford/Stourbridge. This has looked differentover the past 7+ years. In my first few years I focused on increasing the quality of our social media output and Sunday service visuals. We found that, with the change in trends and with everyone glued to their phones, social media was an incredible opportunity to reach people, and invite them down to church.
We recognised the power that a well designed social mediaadvertisement had in ‘stopping the scroll’. I also took on the responsibility of updating and improving our Sunday visuals, moving awayfrom the standard PowerPoint presentations, and introducing a more professional approach. This involved spending purposeful time branding our preaching series, which are now treated as advertising opportunities, and monthly design projects, which are approached as logo/branding projects.
You’ll see in some of our designs that we have had a range of these over the years, and they’ve been vital for that time. Whether that has been to guide our designing that month, or to create a new identity for our social media, we’ve found ironing out time, and stressing importance on this branding has been very helpful.
Not long after my initial few years at Arise, we were met with Covid 19 and a lockdown. During this time, my job changed significantly. The normal Sunday to Sunday routine changed, and we had to try to meet the needs of people while they were stuck at home.
I was tasked with taking us online, and creating an online presence for us as a church. Alongside this, we knew how important it was for us to meet the needs of our area and support our community, so we introduced ‘Shine Foundation’, a new community initiative. The purpose of the foundation was to respond quickly to the day-to-day needs arising during a very strange period for us all.
Now, years on, the Shine Foundation continues to partner with local initiatives on a monthly basis. So during those wild Covid years, I was focused a lot on online church, constantly trying to stay relevant in the quick changing world that is Youtube. In recent years, my role has changed again. While keeping my original roles and responsibilities,
I have taken on event planning, event design, and creating graphics for seasonal events, including advertisements across local magazines, social media , and physical materials around our building and for our local area. When I describe my job to people, it’s not always easy as it isn’t always design based, but design is the foundation of what I do.
My main job is to help and support the wider mission, and that’s to bring people to the fullness of life in Jesus Christ. Right now, that looks like media design and anything that fits into that in the world that is Church. That could range from a poster to go up in the Church, or it could be designing the branding, editing, and advertising of a new monthly podcast. It could entail anything.
An Interview with
Joshua Mee
How does your company work/ function design wise?
Working for a church means that our design process is different every time. As a job comes my way, I’ll often ask for more details from them, and have a conversation around what they are asking from me. For example, should my boss ask me for a new sermon series graphic, we will often have conversations around his inspiration, have a bit more detail around the content, which will then hopefully steer my inspiration when moving over to Photoshop to make the design.
For bigger events, I’ll have more advanced notice, so that there is time to properly promote and prepare for the event. For example, our yearly Christmas events will be discussed about 5/6 months before the festive period. Details about all the events will be ironed out, then it goes over to me to design the event branding and make sure we have the necessary materials to promote well. This could consist of posters, flyers, social media graphics, video adverts etc.
It really does look different for every project that comes in, and the timeline given. Some things might need doing immediately, some things may take a bit more time, so keeping on top of workload, and giving the right amount of time so nothing is rushed, is really important.
Joshua Mee Creative Lead
Made For More Sermon Series Graphics
Acquérir Logo Design
How do you keep up with design trends?
With the world that I work in, social media is a very busy place, there is a lot of traffic around social media, and a lot of churches, and faith based organisations have joined the space. So it’s really important I do the same. I am constantly scrolling through reels and posts to see what everyone else is doing and see what trends are around. I have found this to be the most productive space to keep on track.
What’s your greatest achievement within design?
What a great question. And a real thinker. I am proud of loads of stuff I have been involved in, and had the privilege to design for. Designing for a London based Hockey Academy was really cool, and designing logos for companies that have grown and grown is a great achievement. I love seeing where my designs go, and where they get to.
One of my favourite things to design is clothing, and I’ve had the honour of designing clothing for some national youth conferences.Seeing people want to wear something I came up with on a photoshop file is really something. My biggest achievement to date has probably got to be heading up the branding and outworking of an annual event we hold at my workplace. To create a brand from the ground up, and see it work successfully, bringing a local community together, is so exciting to watch. I’m looking forward to many more opportunities over the years, so maybe next time I get asked this, I will give some different answers.
What was your transition from education to your job?
My transition wasn’t necessarily the norm. I left education with no real direction and the idea of carrying on with design didn’t appeal to me much. By now you’ll know that I am a man of faith, my relationship with Jesus, and church is really important to me. And during the stages of leaving school, I was spending more and more time at church, getting involved anywhere I could, and regularly attending the weekly youth club. So it was around this time I was asked if I’d like to join the gap year programme at church. I never intended moving onto further education after sixth form/college, I didn’t want to do that again for a bit, so the idea of doing a year out in a place I loved so much, was very appealing. I’m so grateful for this year of my life because it helped me fall in love with design again, it gave a purpose to my work, and I was very passionate about that purpose I had found.
That purpose was to introduce people to Jesus. And the idea that a design I created, a photo I took or video I edited could tell someone about Jesus, the one who changed my life, and who could change theirs, was just different to any purpose I’d had before. It became my passion. I really, really enjoyed that year, and knew it was something I wanted to carry on doing. At the end of the year I did end up working freelance for a while, alongside retail work, which enabled me to put my name out there.I got to be involved in some really cool projects during that time. Around 9 months after my gap year, I did eventually go back to work for my church, and I’ve been part of the staff team there for around eight years now.
What is your inspiration?
This is a great question to get to answer. I know some really cool local designers, and I have had the privilege of speaking and spending time with Luke Tonge, a local designer. He heads up the Birmingham Design Festival, and the few times I’ve had the chance to learn from him have been gold. What inspires me most, though, is my faith, and who I get to do this for. I’ve been at Arise Church for nearly 8 years, beginning with my gap year. At this time, I was done with design, I didn’t want to do it anymore, my experience in school hadn’t been what I wanted, and the idea of staying in that world was just not an option for me. To then enter this world, and find a purpose for it, created a passion in me, and that passion is to show people how good Jesus is. So that’s my inspiration. I probably wouldn’t say inspiration though, I’d say it’s a passion.
Our Father Sermon Series Graphics
How
do you communicate with your team?
I have the great privilege of working closely alongside the staff team at my workplace, so communications are quite easy, and weekly meetings are in place to realign us all to where we need to be. I find it incredibly helpful to be in close contact with those I work with and those who set projects for me. Having that ongoing conversation throughout the design process is important, it creates a productive workspace, and allows me to meet the needs the first time around!
How do you feel about your design work?
Ha, this is a great question, and any designer reading this will know exactly why I laughed. I always feel like I could do better, and I’m never completely satisfied, which is definitely a negative need for perfection. Over the years, I have had to switch that mindset to a mindset of excellence instead, and just choose to give my all, at all times. And if I do that, I come away happy.
How do you keep the company interested in your design work?
Social media has played an enormous part in this. I take a lot of my inspiration from there. Looking at what other people are doing, and trying to see what that looks like in the context ofmy workplace. Staying current and on trend helps keep people interested, and ensures I’m learning all the time. I don’t want to be designing and creating things I would have done 8 years ago, I want my designs to continue to catch people’s eye, as well as keeping people interested.
What programme do you feel is best for your work?
I am Photoshop - Illustrator through and through. Mainly Photoshop. Back in the day I would use a programme called Serif Draw, but I quickly moved over to Adobe when leaving school. I love how user friendly it is, and everything you need to know is on a YouTube tutorial somewhere.
Holy Sermon Series Graphics
How did you work up to where you are now?
How did I work up to where I am? I wouldn’t say I’m working upwards, I’m just really blessed to be released in the area that I am. To get the opportunity I have to call this my job is something I do not take for granted, and will be forever grateful for. Over the years, I believe I have shown how important it is to focus on the creative aspects of the Church. The fact that it remains important and continues to be a focus in my workplace means I’m doing a good job, and I’m still needed! So my hope is I continue to show how important design is, and how important it is for us to be creative in this space.
How
do you measure success in your work?
This is probably very unique in my context. For events that I work on, it would be measured on attendance and how many new faces from our community we see coming to the event. In other areas it’s probably self-measured, and mainly in reflection. Making sure I ask myself questions like, has it fulfilled its purpose? Has it met expectations? Has it met the project brief? Can I do better? Where can I do better? What would I do differently? And so many more.
HOPE Is Here Event Graphics
Human Beings Sermon Series Graphics
The Grand
The Grand Theatre has stood as a pillar of the Wolverhampton skyline since the 19th century. With a variety of shows and an abundant seating capacity, the theatre has been the origin of creative expression since its establishment. There’s something for everyone,with performances suited for children and adults alike. The Grand offers an immersive experience into the past with its awe-inspiring architecture, whilst audiences enjoy the captivating acting of present.
I personally, have visited a variety of shows, including both a ultitude of chilled performances and a theatrical performance of “an inspector calls”. As a familial tradition, we would welcome in the new year by attending one of the first shows of the annum. These shows were often musical based productions filled with humour and innuendos, never failing to receive an abundance of laughs from the capacity-filled audience. Some of the recurring comedic characters, played by Tam Ryan and Ian Adams, are present at a variety of shows, being present in shows at the Grand Theatre for over three years. From experience, when Tam Ryan or Ian Adams would appear on stage, it often results in a hearty chuckle. During the break of a Pantomime, ice cream becomes on sale throughout the theatre, commonly creating a commanding crowd, hungry for half-time nourishment. The trend of impressive performances continued when I most recently viewed a rendition of “An Inspector Calls”.
The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton
The play, put together and directed by Stephen Daldry, was a theatrical recreation of J.B Priestley’s classic thriller going by the same name written in 1945. The source material effectively allowed for a theatrical version to be composed and performed, with each character’s personalities so clearly laid out within the thriller. Daldry was able to do so masterfully. The first show of the revival of “An Inspector Calls” by Daldry took place in 1992 and has been touring around since. The show has not remained solely within the UK, with tours in Australia and the USA effectively displaying the immense audience that the play had attracted. An inspector calls has been performed in the West end multiple times receiving an entourage of five-star reviews. The revival is critically acclaimed, with 19 major awards and hailed as the theatrical event of its generation, attracting more than 5 million theatregoers worldwide and it is returning to the Grand theatre
After seeing the play myself it is evident to see why the show has received as many awards as it has and why so many people have decided to see the theatrical marvel. Similar to many, I first viewed the show as a GCSE student looking for a greater insight into one of the texts I would be writing about, and as a visual learner, being able to view An Inspector Calls within a theatrical setting was a perfect method for the comprehension and understanding of the classic thriller. Similar to the unique setting characteristic explored within the book, much of the show takes place within a single room, portraying some of the va eeded. It was due to this effective acting and overall setting that assisted me and many others into better understanding the original thriller. It is a must watch for any GCSE students for an extra insight into the intriguing work of J.B Priestley.
To conclude, it is evident that the Grand Theatre offers memorable experiences through their abundance of performances displayed each year. Each performance demonstrates the genres differing purposes masterfully, whether it’s by creating a sea of laughs, or sparking intrigue and insight when exploring informative theatrical spectacles. I have been pleasantly enthralled by each show that I have seen throughout many years of attendance and can fondly remember each show vividly. If it something that you haven’t done, I would vastly recommend you visit their website and book a ticket at a show that best suits you.
Written By: William Hart
The actual building was funded and built by Philip Horsman and built on land provided by the municipal authority. It is a “Neo-classical design” which is a style that uses the architecture of ancient Greece and Rome built in Bath stone with Doric and Ionic style facades this brings to the Classical past back to life by making a similar building to what people used back in the 1750s The upper storey is decorated with panels of Portland stone sculpted by Boulton of Cheshire. It opened within May of 1884.
This museum presents a large range of artwork and sculptures which have a large variety of topics; however, they mostly focus on showcasing artwork and paintings, but they do show statues and sculptures as well. Many of the exhibited works symbolize British culture and heritage. There are also play, drawing, and seating areas for children, which were very lovely due to the meanings they have what they represent and a popular piece that is well known in the collection is the painting “Peace and Plenty Binding the Arrows of War” this was well painted 1614 by painter Abraham Janssens van Nuyssen, his style was influenced mainly by when he travelled to Italy, where he lived in Rome between 1597 and 1602. He is largely known mainly for his large collection of art which most of it is linked to religion as well as mythology, which shows some of the influence.
Wovlerhampton Art Gallery
Wolverhampton Art Gallery
Philip Richard Morris ARA was an English painter of genre and maritime scenes, Holman Hunt influenced religious paintings and portraits. These oil paintings are as famous as they are not only for the skill behind them but the time when they were made and how they have been presvered for over one hundred years.
This 18th century oil painting “The World Forgetting Sunday Afternoon in Kensington Gardens 1877” was made by John Callcott Horsley. It shows a young officer and his sweetheart walking through a crowded London park, watched by an old man sitting on a bench.”
These pieces make the gallery well known mainly for the fact that the art shows and presents important things that have been written in mythology hence the importance of the paintings. These people will want to know about it and the fact it’s in a form of art makes it more intriguing and interesting which would bring more people in to view these pieces. The paintings and sculptures from the first half of the twentieth century as well as there being more recent developments while the growing 21st Century Collection shows that art can be a “powerful voice in today’s society, addressing issues of war, race” and once again he fact that art can help with the many problems we have today in this world is another reason why this gallery and art in general is so popular.
Written By: Fin Bedford-Morley
this piece does not just show some art piece but a story which refers to the story of a Princess named Ariadne and she was said to be in love with a man named Theseus and she helped him with killing the Minotaur at the palace of Knossos on the island of Crete. The start of the mythology was “The Cretan princess Ariadne has been abandoned on the Greek island of Naxos by Theseus, whose ship sails away in the distance. princess Ariadne has been abandoned on the Greek island of Naxos by Theseus, whose ship sails away in the distance”. Both of these paintings were made using oil paint.
Wolverhampton Art Gallery
