Unlocking the Vaults with The Exchange, University of Birmingham

Unlocking the Vaults with The Exchange, University of Birmingham

From September 2025 – January 2026, I’m working with The Exchange at University of Birmingham on the Heritage Lottery Funded project, Unlocking the Vaults. This project involves sharing the history of the building with local community groups and involving them in creative exploration of the history of the building, Birmingham’s first Municipal Bank.

I’ve been running sessions with wonderful people in the following community groups.

-       Stories of Hope and Home

-       Creative Women at the Springfield Project

-       Mothers Who Make Coventry

-       University of Birmingham’s Student Panel

-       BCU Photography

-       Acocks Green Historical Society

We’ve made creative images that articulate the history of the building and its relevance today using cyanotype, tintype and my large scale Victorian studio camera alongside exploring hidden spaces on the site.

The resulting co-created work will be showcased in an exhibition that opens in July 2026.