Stories

The closure of a number of shops along and around Corporation Street has left the area looking rather shabby.  In recent years the area has diminished in appearance and the popular shopping area has been replaced with To Let signs and boarded up windows. 

The changing face of Birmingham city centre

In April 2009 Retail Birmingham launched a competition calling on the city’s creative communities to brighten up some of the empty shop fronts.

David is a budding photographer

Artwork designed by a small team of students from Matthew Boulton College was successfully selected.  Vibrant images illustrating some of the most well known sights across the city now cover the outside of many of the deserted shop fronts.

Fusing the old and the new

The chosen buildings on Corporation Street date back to Victorian times while the prints reflect the innovative design of the moment.  The result is an attractive glossy collection of images laid side by side, surrounded by historic architecture. The result an exciting fusion of the old and the new fusing together.

Ali

Ali Baggash, Mario Gerroni, David Ellins, Tanvir Kamal and Lloyd Horgan make up part of the winning team, who are a combination of graphic design and photography students, their study areas belonging to FEED an umbrella unit for many creative courses at Mathew Boulton College. 

Creative Birmingham

Working with Retail Birmingham is an example of the types of encouragement students on the course are given, to be able to gain opportunities to develop their skills and display their work before entering their chosen profession. 

The chosen buildings on Corporation Street date back to Victorian times while the prints reflect the innovative design of the moment.    

Creative Director of FEED Adam Guy says:  “Our objective was to raise the expectations of what they can achieve.  We want to produce designers and artists that are more considerate about their environment and proud to be from the West Midlands. 

The artwork can be seen in the lower part of Corporation Street close to JD Sports and in Union Passage opposite Sainsbury’s in Martineau Place.