A Real Birmingham Family Launch

On Thursday 30 October we unveil A Real Birmingham Family, a public sculpture that is the culmination of our four-year project with Turner Prize winning artist Gillian Wearing.

Join us at 11.30am outside the Library of Birmingham, to celebrate this extraordinary project and new sculpture for the city.

During 2011 and 2012, residents of Birmingham were encouraged to nominate their families to be the face of Birmingham. No limits were placed on how the twenty-first century family might define itself and hundreds of families responded, including groups of friends, single parents and people living alone.

In 2013 the Jones family – two sisters, Roma and Emma, both single parents, and their two sons, Kyan and Shaye – were chosen as A Real Birmingham Family by the artist and a diverse panel of community, cultural and religious figures. The selection was made following discussions on what constitutes a Birmingham family: multiple generations, friendships and diversity as well as evidential links to the city.

We will be discussing this project and “What challenges do families face in Birmingham in the twenty first century?” on Monday 3 November during a special free symposium at the Library of Birmingham – Families in Birmingham: change and continuity. Please click here for further information.