Black Country Festival 2020 – ‘Hold Still’ Photo Project

Sandwell Libraries and Sandwell Archives service are launching a new photo project for Black Country Festival 2020 this July.

This year, the theme is inspired by the National Portrait Gallery’s ‘Hold Still’ photo project.
The ‘Inspired by Hold Still’ project aims to capture life in Sandwell during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sandwell Council Deputy Leader, Councillor Wasim Ali said: “The Covid-19 pandemic is a once in a generation event and has changed life for us all. This project is a chance to chronicle this period in our lives as a record for the next generation. I want as many people as possible to get involved.

“We want your photos showing life in lockdown and throughout the pandemic, covering ‘Everyday Life’, ‘Family’, ‘The Outdoors,’ ‘Isolation’ and ‘Shielding’. They will serve as a record showing how Sandwell came together as a community to help and support each other.”

Sandwell Archives will put the photos into an online gallery. The service would also like any other records residents have of life in lockdown, including video, audio recordings or in writing.

Anyone interested can email their contributions to Archives_Service@sandwell.gov.uk, each contributor will be sent a deposit form so the material can be kept in the archives for the years to come. If anyone is sending several contributions or the file size is especially large, they can be sent via WeTransfer.

Other online events will be held during Black Country Festival, including the Black Country quiz on Black Country Day (Tuesday 14 July), on the Sandwell Libraries Facebook page.

For more information on the Black Country Festival and all other online projects visit www.sandwell.gov.uk/libraries or follow Sandwell Libraries on Facebook www.facebook.com/SandwellLibraries