Creative Upstarts, running from August 1 to November 16 at The New Art Gallery Walsall as part of this year’s MarkFest Fringe Festival, is a bold celebration of emerging local creatives supported by the Creative Upstarts Programme (CUSP).
Developed by Urban Hax and funded by Arts Council England, CUSP nurtures talent and encourages individuals to experiment, take risks and share their ideas.
Among this dynamic mix is Sauda Motara, whose work combines metal sculpture and a floristry to challenge expectations of engineering and craft.
Sauda enrolled on the higher-level skills welding course with Performance Through People to gain the specialist skills needed to create her piece – blending art with industrial metalwork.
Sauda said: “I could not have asked for more patient, kind, and student-focused tutors along with the entire engineering department collectively.
“They were all always helpful, encouraging and ready to answer questions and impart their knowledge and expertise in an informative and practical way.”
Attending the course allowed Sauda to further consider her direction with confidence, and expand on it, in favour of more welding projects in the future.
She said: “I would highly recommend the welding course to others.”
Employers looking to recruit or upskill employees, or anyone keen to develop welding skills, can contact Paul Smith by emailing paul.smith@ptp-training.co.uk
